The Secret Keeper
by A. E. Giggle
Summary: When Bella is alerted to dangerous events unfolding at her old school, Hogwarts, she has no choice but to inform the Cullens of her true, magical identity. To put it simply ... she's a Witch. AU, OOC.
1. The Secret Keeper

**A/N: Hello! This is my first fan fiction. I'm a total newb. If you don't enjoy both Twilight and Harry Potter I recommend that you don't read this. I enjoy both in equal measure, hence the crossover. I've had to mess around with the timelines in the book to help them fit together properly. I don't think there's anything big enough though that would damage the story. Hope you like it, anyway.**

**Disclaimer: Also, I unfortunately do not own either Twilight or Harry Potter.**

I was walking towards the island in the middle of the Cullens' ridiculously large kitchen with my salad in hand when it happened. With everything that had kicked off in the last year, including the danger brought about by James and his revenge-seeking mate, the departure and return of my adopted vampire family, and the realisation that I was living only miles from a tribe of shape-shifters, this was the last thing I had been expecting. A loud crash echoed through the room as the plate hit the floor, the food spilling across the surface whilst the fractured pieces of china clinked against one another on the polished wood. I stood frozen, fully aware that four pairs of ochre eyes were focused completely on me. Finally, when it became obvious that I was not presently able to move, I was addressed by a deep, musical voice to my right.

"Bella?" he asked cautiously.

I gave no response. Two rock hard, muscular arms snaked around my torso, pulling me until my back was pressed against a cold, stony chest. I could feel icy breath tickling my ear as he attempted to rouse me from my paralysis.

"Bella, what's wrong? Are you alright?"

Edward rotated my body and tilted my head up to better see my eyes. Other than my drumming heart, they were the best indicators of my emotional state. They must have revealed some evidence of the raging fear which had suddenly gripped me, for the crease between his eyes deepened and his own eyes hardened. Maybe it was more to do with the fact that Jasper was stood only five feet away and he had undoubtedly picked up on my swift mood change.

"Why are you so terrified, Bella?" asked Jasper as he stepped around his concerned-looking wife to move closer to me.

Emmett stood silently with his back against the fridge—always the picture of ease, regardless of circumstances.

Edward stroked my face with his right hand, his left placed securely on the small of my back. When his hand moved down to grip mine, he gasped as his finger brushed the bracelet circling my wrist. My eyes flitted to it, as did Edward's.

The band was made of black leather, both ends connecting to a peculiar centre-piece. It was a large gold coin. Anyone observing it would probably just assume it be a souvenir of some kind, for it certainly did not resemble anything from the accepted forms of currency existing throughout the world. On the side that was visible, there was a picture of something bearing a resemblance to that of a dragon, and the words _Unum Galleon_ were embossed around the rim.

"Bella," Edward said calmly, though there was a definite undercurrent of some strong emotion, which he was evidently attempting to conceal, "would you please explain to me why your bracelet has suddenly started burning."

I averted my eyes from the galleon as I began unfastening the leather strap, instead turning my gaze on Alice, who had just been joined by the three remaining Cullens, each wearing a slightly puzzled expression. Alice's eyes turned glassy and her face lost its stiffness, only to be replaced with what was clearly frustration.

"I don't understand," she declared, her eyes meeting Edward's for a second before settling back on me. "It doesn't make sense. What's going on, Bella?"

I ignored her, turning the bracelet over once it had come loose in order to see the underside. There, on the rim of the coin, where the word _Gringotts _should have been clearly marked, was written: _Harry at Hogwarts. Fight. Apparate Hog's Head._

I had hoped that whatever Alice had seen had not been related to anything to do with Hogwarts, but I had been fairly certain that the likelihood of that was slim. This, naturally, confirmed it. She'd seen me at my old school. What else could it have been? The vision hadn't even waited for me to consciously decide to return, for I had resolved long ago that should revolution occur in the wizarding world, I would be there to help my friends. What kind of Gryffindor would I be, after all, if I turned chicken at the most crucial moment?

"I have to go," I whispered, afraid to meet the eyes of my fiancé, despite knowing full well that I had to. When I looked up, I was relieved to see that he was staring off in the opposite direction. Then, of course, I realised that his eyes were directed at Alice. They were communicating silently, their expressions stern, and any imminent departure on my part suddenly seemed unlikely

"Until you explain exactly what the hell is going on, Bella, you're going nowhere." Edward shifted his stunningly penetrating gaze to me.

_Damn._

"Nothing Alice sees right now is comprehensible. She sees you running around some place, pointing a stick and throwing light everywhere. If I didn't know you so well, I would have guessed that you were off to play some unusual game of laser quest!"

"Edward," I said, pleadingly, "I'm sorry but I really can't explain right now. I have to go, and you have to let me."

"Not until you explain."

The rest of the Cullens looked on expectantly. I gave a heavy sigh. I'd always known I would have to tell them someday, and I had fully intended to, but I'd been waiting for the right moment.

When I'd first met Edward, I had been trying to get him to reveal his own secret. I'd had my suspicions as soon as I'd laid eyes on him—I'd learnt all about vampires in my Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons, and the only thing that had thrown me off, in truth, was the uncharacteristic colouring of his eyes, which should have been, according to my studies, bright red—but I could hardly just come out with _'Hey, Edward! You're a vampire, right? What's up with that eye colour of yours? I'm only asking because I was told by my third year Defence teacher, Remus Lupin, who coincidentally happens to be a werewolf, that they're suppose to be the same colour as your food.'_ That would have gone down really well, I'm sure. Obviously, I couldn't bring up the fact that I knew he was a vampire without exposing myself in some way. Instead, I had waited to broach the subject until my theory had been confirmed by Jacob Black. I hadn't known that he would give me the excuse I needed beforehand, but once he did, I didn't waste any time. As we progressed in our relationship, I knew that I would be able to trust him with my own secret, but until the same could be said for his family, I wasn't about to reveal anything of my history. Then, when James came into the picture, any honesty on my part had to be put on hold. I had been working my way up to telling Edward the truth after the threat had been destroyed, only he left before I could come clean. And then, once I became aware of Aro and his abilities, I had settled on maintaining my secret until after my transformation and our next meeting with the Volturi. Yes, there were some vampires who happened to be aware of the existence of my world—the wizarding world—but the majority remained ignorant, and I was not prepared to be the one to change that. Maybe Aro was already in on it, maybe he wasn't; either way, I wasn't about to take that risk, and I certainly was not going to give him further reason to want me for his freaky, little club.

I inhaled deeply and closed my eyes, so that I could say what had to be said without the tempting distraction of Edward's face.

"Fine, I'll tell you, but none of it is going to make much sense because we have very little time, and even if it does, you're still going to think I'm crazy."

I peaked at him through the slits my eyelids formed. He stood as still as a statue, waiting, as did his baffled family. I reclosed my eyes and clenched my fist, before launching into what I'm sure was a very convoluted explanation.

"I have to go back to school—not Forks! The one I was at before I moved back to the States— because there's—"

"Wait. What?" Emmett interrupted. "You lived in Phoenix before you moved here."

"My mother did, but I was away at a school in the UK. I'd tell you where abouts, but I'm not entirely sure."

Edward moved to speak, but I placed a finger to his lips. "Let me finish. I know this sounds ridiculous, but you wanted the truth and I don't have much time." He nodded his head in response and the crease returned to the space between his eyes.

"You know how my mom is a little strange? Well, after I'd just turned ten, she got it into her head that she wanted to emigrate. We moved to a place called Dorset. I liked it there; it was kinda nice. Obviously, my mom's fascination didn't last—English weather isn't exactly amazing, and I could tell she was leaning towards moving back to Phoenix, but before she settled on it, we received a visit from a woman named Minerva McGonagall.

At first, we thought she was kind of loopy, because she began insisting that I had magical powers and that I was a witch. Then I started thinking back on all the unexplainable things that happened when I was younger. At the elementary school I attended, for instance, there was a girl who used to pick on me. She was about to start on me one day, only just before she could get a hit in, her can of soda exploded in her hand. She was screaming that it was burning her, but none of the teachers could explain how the cold soda had suddenly risen to boiling point. There were other things too, but I don't have time for that.

"Anyway, to cut the story short, it turned out that the woman wasn't actually batty. She took out a wand and did a number of various things to prove it, after which she gave me a list with all the supplies I'd need, and told me she'd look forward to seeing me in the new term. My mom and I followed her directions to a place called Diagon Alley, where I bought my stuff, including my wand, my owl, whom of course you have yet to meet, my spell books, my robes, my potion ingredients, as well as a number of other things, and I waited for the day when I would go off to school. The day came, I got on the train and, sure enough, discovered that the castle was real. I studied hard because magic, having always assumed that it was make-believe, was understandably fascinating to me.

My mom returned to Phoenix and I visited her each summer, but then come September, I always returned to Hogwarts to resume my magical education.

The wizarding-world has its problems, though, and big ones, which I discovered not long after my arrival. You see, there are bad wizards as well as good ones, and some of them put the monsters you know to shame. There's one, in particular, that my people are terrified of."

I then hastily fed the seven vampires the details of Voldemort, though I refrained from mentioning his name, along with story of Harry Potter, and the information which had been circulating and painting him as the Chosen One destined to defeat the Dark Lord. I also proceeded to inform them of the fake Galleon given to me by Hermione Granger when I had become a member of the DA, and the way in which we used it communicate secret messages during Umbridge's evil reign as High Inquisitor.

"So you see," I said, "I have to go back to Hogwarts. If Harry is back, then something is surely about to kick off and I need to be there. Me more than anyone! I'm Muggle-Born, as in I come from non-magical parents. People like me are persecuted by the Dark Lord's supporters. That's why I couldn't go back after Dumbledore, the Headmaster, was killed last year. It's not safe for my kind—Mudbloods, they call us—and how can I expect that to change if I don't go back and fight for my freedom?"

I ended my little speech here, and stared into each of their faces. Alice and Esme looked completely perplexed; Carlisle and Jasper looked worried, and it was obvious they were scared for my sanity; Emmett was trying to keep a straight face, and he clearly thought that this was some elaborate joke; Rosalie looked pissed; Edward, on the other hand, looked pained. There could be no doubt that he had concluded that I had completely lost my marbles. In fact, he was probably getting it into his head that my sudden outburst was all his fault—that he had finally succeeded in pushing me over the edge, simply through his seemingly impossible existence.

"You don't believe me," I stated matter-of-factly.

"Bella," he answered, "I think you're—"

"Ya know what?" I interrupted, tearing myself from his embrace and marching over into the living room to retrieve my bag. "I'm done explaining. There's only one way to prove it to you."

When I returned to the kitchen, not one of them had moved an inch, except Rosalie, who was staring at her reflection in the glass of the windows. I reached into my bag and pulled out my wand. It seemed so wrong not to keep it with me, so I had taken to concealing it in my tiny purse, upon which I had place an undetectable extension charm.

It was 11 inches and made from Yew and Unicorn hair. I pointed it at the mess I had made on the floor, and said _"Reparo."_ Instantly, the cracked fragments reformed to make a plate that was as good as it had been originally_. "Accio plate,"_ I then said, causing it to fly through the air to my hands. I finally turned my wand to the spilled food. I could have performed the spell non-verbally, but I wanted to give a clear demonstration to the Cullens. "Evanesco." The lettuce leaves, onion, and tomatoes suddenly disappeared into thin air.

I turned to face my gawking family. Each had their eyes fixed on the spot where the spilled salad had been only a second ago, not one displaying any sign that they would ever move again. Just to ensure that the message was fully delivered, I did a graceful little pirouette—well, graceful for me anyway—and apparated from the kitchen. I felt my body stretching from the pressure, and as quickly as it had started, it was over. I was on the far side of the river behind the Cullen house, where they would still have a clear view of me.

"You-hoo!" I called. They all turned. I laughed at their gobsmacked expressions, before apparating back into the kitchen. If I had had time to waste enjoying the satisfaction of finally revealing that I was not as helpless as they had all initially believed, I would have been grinning like a Cheshire cat. The afternoon light glinted off the galleon, however, providing me with the sobering reminder that I needed to get to Hogwarts.

"So that's it," I announced. "I know it's absurd and I wish I had more time to explain it to you, but I don't. I honestly can't imagine that Harry would risk returning to the school now that it's fallen under the control of the Death Eaters unless he was preparing to fight."

"Death Eaters? What—but—" Esme's panic was made plain by her expression alone; her inability to form a proper coherent sentence now only enhanced everyone's awareness.

"Bella," Alice cut in, "I don't need to be a psychic to know that what you're planning on doing is going to be extremely dangerous. You could get—"

"Killed."

Edward's head whipped to me. He let out a low growl.

"Well, I was … actually going to say hurt."

"Look," I said, addressing them all—they needed to understand just how serious this was, and if there was a chance that I could die in the next twenty four hours, I had to be honest with them, "you are vampires. You can kill a human with a single touch. Wizards and witches, on the other hand, don't even need that much. All it takes is two simple words and a flick of a wand … and a person dies."

They all looked at me, horrified, even Rosalie.

"People die everyday simply for the sport of his sick followers. People like me." Now I turned my eyes on Edward, so that I could better communicate the inevitable, because I knew he would be the hardest to convince. "I am going back to Hogwarts now, and no amount of vampiric strength is going to change that fact."

"No!"

"Edward, I'm sorry, but you really don't have a say in this."

His jaw clenched for a second, and he accidentally crushed a section of the counter, which he had been gripping throughout our conversation.

"It would seem that I have no choice but to agree," he said after a moment's pause, surprising me slightly. He straightened himself and crossed his arms, showing no concern whatsoever for the now damaged worktop, "So if you're really set on this … then I'm coming with you."

I was about to protest, but stopped myself and considered the benefits of his involvement. His strength and speed would be undoubtedly assets in a fight.

"Actually, having you there would be a massive comfort. The likelihood of you getting hurt isn't that great. Vampire skin is hard and deflects spells. It would take dozens and dozens of simultaneous attacks to even stun you, probably even more than you would need to stun a dragon, and considering the fact that the enemy will have far too many opponents to focus on—"

"Dragons?" Emmett interrupted, disbelievingly. "You're kidding right?"

"No, I'm not," I answered automatically, noting the way his eyebrows seemed to rise halfway up his brow. "As I was saying, your skin will reflect magical attacks, so unless they have invited vampires to the castle recently, I don't think your presence will be damaging to your health."

"So we could cover you? Act as a shield, I mean," Jasper added.

"And the other students. That would definitely give us a slight advantage."

"It's decided then," concluded Alice. "We're all going."

The rest of the Cullens nodded in agreement. Emmett rubbed his hands together and muttered something I didn't fully catch, though I distinctly heard the words 'take on a dragon'.

"There's just one question," Carlisle said, looking at me curiously. "How do we get there?"


	2. Reunions and Requests

"I don't understand," Jasper stated. "How is a duffle bag going to help us get to this Hogwarts place of yours?"

"_Portus_," I said, pointing my wand at the item, before turning to face Jasper. "If we were on the right continent and there were less of you, I'd be able to take you by side-along apparition. We're too far away though for that, so the next best thing is to use a Portkey. You're supposed to inform the Ministry before using one nowadays, but to hell with that! I've set this one to depart in three minutes. Everyone needs to place a finger on the bag."

Carlisle, Esme, Jasper, Rosalie and Edward all looked a little hesitant; Alice and Emmett, however, looked positively jubilant. My vision wasn't sharp enough to catch their lightning-quick movements as they both went to touch the Portkey. Following their example, the others all shuffled in, forming a tight circle as they similarly placed a finger on the bag.

"So, Bella, what exactly is this 'Ministry' you mentioned?" Carlisle questioned.

"Well, I suppose you could compare it to your—I mean—the American Senate, or the English Parliament. It's basically the governing body of wizards and witches that help to run the magical world. They deal with laws and that kind of stuff."

"And there really are such things as dragons?" Emmett chipped in with a hopeful expression.

"Yes, there are, but I wouldn't go getting any ideas about battling one, Emmett. I'm sure it would be far more challenging for you than bears, but they happen to be a protected species. You'd annoy a lot of people if you went around attempting to slay them. Dragon's blood is extremely valuable in the wizarding world, as are dragon heartstrings, which are sometimes used in manufacturing wands."

"Is that what's in your wand?" Alice asked, enthusiastically, "A dragon heartstring?"

"No," I answered, "mine is made from yew and unicorn hair."

Rosalie's head snapped up.

"You didn't really think you were the only mythical creatures out there, did you?" I chuckled, giving a teasing smirk.

Alice squealed and began bouncing, though her finger never left the port key. In the next second, the item began to glow, causing me to wonder whether it was Alice's foresight or her discovery of unicorns that had brought on her sudden excitement. I felt the familiar pull at my navel, before my feet left the hard floor and I began flying through the air in a maelstrom of colour. Then the world stopped spinning and my feet slammed into the ground.

Predictably, I lost my balance and ended up on my butt. I would have been more embarrassed had it not been for the fact that even the seven perfect vampires were not fully in control of their usually spotless balance for once. Esme was clutching Carlisle; Alice had her hands raised at either side of her to help keep her upright; Jasper had stumbled slightly against the side of the bar; the others, though they were in definite shock, all seemed to be ok on their feet.

"That was … that was … awesome!" Emmett declared, his eyes wide and unfocused, as if staring at something far off in the distance.

I stared around the room. It was dim, the only light coming from the embers flickering in the fireplace. The darkness confused me at first, until I remembered the considerable time difference existing between the UK and the Eastern Pacific. Yes, it was definitely the Hog's Head, though why we were asked to come here I had no idea. My puzzlement was about to be answered, however, as an old looking wizard with long grey hair and a stringy beard came running into the room.

"More? That's just my luck! Should have known I'd get no bloody peace after Potter and his friends."

"You've seen Harry?" The man focused his bright, blue eyes on me, regarding me for a second before huffing and throwing his arms in the air.

"Bah! Yes, I've seen him. Him and his friends set off the ruddy Caterwauling Charm, didn't they! Had to shoo away the damn Death Eaters, didn't I!"

"So where are they now?"

"They went up to the castle. There's a secret passageway behind that portrait," he said, pointing to a painting of a pretty girl with blonde hair, "which leads to the Room of Requirement."

"Seriously?" I asked, impressed, to which I was met with a look of extreme annoyance. "Ok, well, err … we'll just be going then."

For the first time, the man seemed to examine the others occupying the room. He stiffened and inhaled sharply.

"Vampires? Girl, what the hell are you playing at?"

He took out his wand and shot a shield between us and the Cullens, who were all evidently wondering how the man knew what they were. I winced, which did not go unnoticed by Edward. He turned his eyes on me and regarded me suspiciously.

"You always knew, didn't you?" he accused.

I was about to speak, but was saved from doing so when a loud popping sound announced the arrival of others. I turned and scanned the bar, and was met by a sight that made me feel like bursting into song. On the far side of the room stood two familiar figures, one whom appeared to be glancing nervously at the Cullens, and one whom was gazing around with a pleasantly serene expression.

"Luna! Dean!" I cried happily, running forwards to embrace my schoolmates.

"Bella?" said Dean, a little shocked, though a note of happiness could be heard in his voice.

"Hello, Bella. It's been an awfully long time since I last saw you. You have far less wrackspurts buzzing around you lately. Does that have something to do with your vampire friends?"

"Probably." I laughed, before introducing her and Dean to the Cullens. Dean remained wary, but Luna walked dreamily up to Edward and place her arms around his neck in a way that only she would.

"It's very nice to meet you," she said, pulling back, unphased by the absolutely flabbergasted expression pasted on Edward's face. The others, too, looked bewildered. I chuckled. "I'm so happy Bella has found someone to keep her wrackspurts at bay. They're extremely pesky little creatures, but, of course, you wouldn't know about that would you? Vampire brains never go fuzzy. At least, now you know why."

"Um … I-I guess so. Er … thanks." Seeing Edward so speechless was nothing short of hilarious.

"Well, I guess we should be on our way," Luna announced, "or they might start without us."

"Surely you're not going with them!" the man shouted, using his wand to indicate the Cullens.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake! They don't hunt humans! Look at their eyes," I shouted, releasing my frustration on the bar-owner. "They're gold, which means they feed off animals."

The man grunted and lowered his wand, though his irritation did not vanish entirely.

"Goodbye, then, Mr …"

"Aberforth."

"Wait … Aberforth? As in Aberforth Dumbledore?"

Behind me, I heard Emmett muttering to Rosalie, wondering what was up with 'all these crazy names'.

"That's right. Now are you going or what? No doubt there'll be more of you disturbing me shortly," he grumbled, "and I certainly can't fit all of you in my bar without causing a stir!"

I turned to the portrait and waited for it to swing open. As I was about to step into the tunnel, I heard Luna addressing the group behind me.

"May we ride you?"

I spun.

"I beg your pardon?" Rosalie asked, clearly offended.

Emmett almost choked from laughing.

"May we ride you?" Luna repeated, before continuing with her explanation. "The sooner we get to the castle, the sooner we'll be able to help our friends. Who knows what's going on up there. They could be facing death as we speak."

Once again, the vampires were gobsmacked. It probably had more to do with the confident and dreamy way in which Luna had posed her question, rather than the question itself. Emmett, unlike the others, was in hysterics. He let out a roar of laughter, before walking up to the peculiar girl and swinging her up onto his back. I climbed onto Edward's, whilst Dean reluctantly took Carlise's.

Once we were all in place, we darted off up the passage, and in no time at all, we were exiting into a vast luxurious room, decorated with red, blue, and yellow hanging tapestries, along with countless bookcases loaded with volumes ancient in appearance, comfortable looking hammocks, and massive beanbags.

"We got your message, Neville!" Luna stated. "Hello you three, I thought you must be here!"

A cheer erupted amongst the crowd assembled in the room, and yells of "Bella, Luna, Dean!" met our ears. I felt the crushing pressure as students closed in from all sides to embrace us, whilst my family remained stationary, observing the scene before them.

I recognised the faces of the Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff students; some were bruised and swollen in places. The disciplinary system at Hogwarts had clearly changed since my last visit. As well as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnigan, Lavender Brown, Terry Boot, Ernie MacMillan, Anthony Goldstein, Michael Corner, and the Patil twins were also present. There were others, too, who I couldn't put names to.

"Hi, everyone!" said Luna happily. "Oh, it's great to be back!"

"Luna," said Harry as he made his way to greet her, "what are you doing here? How did you—"

"I sent for her," said Neville, holding up his own fake Galleon. "I promised her and Ginny that if you turned up I'd let them know. How did you find out, Bella?"

I laughed and flashed my bracelet at him, which I had put back on just after creating the Portkey. "I thought it would make good costume jewellery."

"Excellent!" Neville responded with a toothy grin. "Who are the newcomers?"

"Vampires?" Hermione whispered, her eyes glued to my family, all of whom were stood in silence and wearing nervous expression, possibly anticipating some kind of rejection.

I straightened my posture and made sure to fill my voice with as much confidence as I could. "This is Dr. Cullen and his family. I met them in Washington. They're extremely kind and have saved my life on numerous occasions. Their diet is a little different from your average vampire, in that they live off of animals rather than humans." I directed a stern expression at the occupants of the room, daring anyone to challenge me. "They want to help."

I had expected some form of protest, but to my relief and extreme delight, the only sound spreading throughout the room was that of approving murmurs, and I took it that my fellow students were expressing their appreciation for more than just the additional help the Cullens were sure to provide. I rolled my eyes.

Once again, Neville shouted out words like "excellent" and "brilliant" before marching up to Carlisle, grabbing his hand and shaking it with eagerness. The fact that regular humans experienced instinctual fear when they were in close proximity with the vampires only seemed to enhance their disbelieving, yet happy, smiles as the wizard made his accepting gesture: Alice's face lit up; Esme looked close to tears; Rosalie was wearing a proud, satisfied smile; Emmett had one that touched his eyes; Carlise's was appreciative as he returned Neville's handshake; Jasper looked on in awe; and Edward was in shock. His head turned to me, and I saw some emotion swimming his eyes that I could only guess at. Gratitude?

"This is all really great and everything, but you still haven't explained what you're all doing here," said Harry.

"Well," answered Neville, "we all thought that if you came back, it would mean revolution. That we were going to overthrow Snape and the Carrows."

Whilst the others continued the discussion, I whispered aside to the Cullens, filling them in on Snape's treachery and how the Ministry, which had fallen under the control of the Death Eaters, had put the story out that it was Harry who had been the one involved in Dumbledore's death.

It was just as I was finishing the explanation that the portrait door swung open behind us, and in came Ginny Weasley, her brothers, Fred and George, and Lee Jordan, followed by Harry's ex-girlfriend, Cho Chang. I ran forwards and hugged the boys, all of whom met me with whoops as they ruffled my hair and patted me on the back. Fred threw an arm around my shoulder, as did George on my other side.

"Missed us did you, Bellsy?" George laughed.

"Of course she did," Fred said seriously, stroking his cheek with his free hand. "Who wouldn't miss this face? It's divine."

"I couldn't agree more," said George, and I responded with a laugh.

The Cullens, especially Edward, were now looking at me questioningly.

"We weren't in the same year, but we became friends when I made the Gryffindor Quidditch team," I explained, forgetting that the vampires knew nothing of the wizarding sport.

"Trouble, this one," said Fred, nodding his head in my direction. He then turned his eye on Rosalie, Alice and Esme, all of whom were receiving quite a bit of attention from the wizards in the room. "As Bella has forgotten her manners and hasn't introduced us properly, I'm Fred Weasley, and this is my dashing brother, George."

The three females laughed, Rosalie again wearing a very satisfied smile, undoubtedly content that she was drawing so many adoring gazes. The men chuckled at Fred's nerve, though it was obvious that they took a liking to him. It was difficult not to.

"Aberforth's getting a bit ratty," Fred said, addressing Harry and Neville. "He wants a kip, and his bar's turned into a railway station."

It wasn't long until Harry began arguing with the crowd. Apparently, he, Hermione and Ron hadn't returned to fight. They had some other business at Hogwarts instead, though whatever it was remained a mystery to the rest of us. The three began whispering to each other, at which point I rejoined Edward, who was looking off in the direction of the trio.

"Edward, why are they here?" I asked, for I knew he'd be able to discover the reason. The crease returned to the space between his eyes, and it was a few seconds before he leaned his head close to mine to whisper in my ear.

"I don't really understand it properly. They're looking for something called a Horcrux, but it's not a word I've ever come across. Do you know what it is?"

"I've never heard of it" I replied, shaking my head.

His head remained bowed, but his eyes flicked up to look at Ron from beneath his long, thick lashes.

"Wait … There's something … something about a soul? Something about destroying a soul. Something to do with a raven's claw. What significance does a raven have in all this?"

"Ravenclaw is one of the four houses of Hogwarts. There's also Gryffindor, which is the house I'm in, as well as Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Slytherin is the house which usually produces Death Eaters. That's why there are no green and silver banners in here—the room hasn't had to accommodate for anyone belonging to that particular house."

"Alright," he answered, "but why would they have to destroy the soul of someone belonging to Ravenclaw?"

"They wouldn't," I said simply, meeting him with a look of puzzlement. My eyes flitted to the bookcases lining the room and I shuffled closer to one.

"I need a book containing information on Horcruxes," I whispered, hoping that the Room would answer my request. I inhaled sharply as it responded, a large, thick, ancient looking book appearing on the uppermost shelf. I snatched it down and looked briefly at the family, all of whom looked shocked again, yet impressed. The book was labelled _Secrets of the Darkest Art_. That definitely didn't sound good. Whatever dark magic Harry had been battling, it was clearly something extremely evil, which, of course, was to be expected considering the enemy he was up against.

"I'm actually surprised at how well you're all taking this," I murmured as I flipped open the book.

"Is there an alternative at present?" Edward asked, a hint of sarcasm audible in his tone.

"Not really. Right… what is a Horcrux? This entire book is completely based on the subject of them. Maybe the explanation is given in the introduction," I said, as I read the opening lines.

I had only been reading for a minute when Harry began speaking to the crowd again, but even that was enough. The first twelve lines had told me everything I needed to know … and now I felt positively sick. I would have vomited right there and then if my stomach hadn't been empty.

"What does it say?" Edward whispered. I couldn't reply, so, instead, I just passed him the book, allowing him to read it for himself. I saw his lips moving, though I heard no sound, and understood that he was reading the passage to his family at a level the rest of us couldn't hear. I turned my attention back to Harry.

"There's something we need to find," he stated loudly. "Something—something that'll help us overthrow You-Know-Who. It's here at Hogwarts, but we don't know where. It might have belonged to Ravenclaw. Has anyone heard of an object like that? Has anyone ever come across something with her eagle on it, for instance?"

Luna then spoke up, suggesting that the object Harry was seeking could in fact be the lost diadem. A conversation followed and it was decided that Luna would accompany him to the Ravenclaw common room where he would be able to view an image of Rowena's treasure.

As the pair left, I saw Ron and Hermione resume their whispered conversation. If we knew more about what they were trying to do, perhaps we would be able to help. I was about to ask Edward to read their minds when he spoke.

"So this evil Lord … what's his name?"

"We don't say it. Or, at least, the majority don't. I've never understood the fear people seem to experience when they hear the name … Well, anyway, he's called Lord Voldemort. I would have told you back at the house, but the name was jinxed recently—it was announced on the wizard wireless—which is why I couldn't say it. We're protected here though by powerful enchantments."

Edward nodded, doing his best to follow. I could understand the difficulty—even for a vampire, this life altering information was all hitting him way too fast. He was being launched into a battle in a world he had had no idea of until about half an hour ago.

"Right, so this Voldemort has performed some spell to split his soul, and has transferred the other pieces into various objects, meaning that he can never die?"

"Yes, except it's not the plural. Harry, Ron and Hermione are only looking for one object."

"Actually," Edward corrected me, "I think it is the plural. When Harry left he asked Ron and Hermione to 'look after the other one', and when I read Ron's mind he was thinking about a goblet and how to destroy it."

"But… wait!" I panicked, the implications of this triggering a suffocating wave of horror. "If Voldemort has the ability to split his soul more than once, there could be god-only-knows how many Horcruxes out there to find!"

"No, I think they knew exactly how many there were when they set out on their hunt for them. Your old headmaster left them with specific details. From what I can gather, there was a ring and a locket, both of which were destroyed with a sword. The sword of—"

"Gryffindor?"

"Yes! Ron's wondering how to get into the Head's office so that he can get his hands on … on … a hat? I don't understand."

"The Sorting Hat," I explained. "Harry pulled the sword out of it in second year. It presents itself to those who demonstrate courage. It's the quality which defines true Gryffindors."

Edward gave a small smile and his eyes smouldered as they roamed my face. I unsuccessfully attempted to suppress the inevitable blush.

"If he can get to the hat, maybe it will present itself to him," I reasoned. "I mean, he's obviously demonstrated that quality countless times in recent months if he's been off doing what we think he has."

"Maybe," Edward answered. "Now he's talking to Hermione about the other Horcruxes. Voldemort has a snake, right?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, he's also managed to transfer a piece of his soul to his pet, and … and I think Ron's just had an idea."

"What?"

"He was thinking about the snake, and it led his thoughts to the giant one that Harry fought in the Chamber of Secrets?" Again I could understand why this was confusing Edward and his family. It was all foreign to them.

"Yeah, there was a basilisk living beneath the school. His sister, Ginny, released it when she was possessed by Voldemort's diary. I know that sounds nuts, but—"

"Actually it doesn't," Edward interrupted, "because, according to Ron, the diary was a Horcrux too."

My facial muscles suddenly went slack. I felt like I had just been plunged into freezing cold water, or that someone had injected a shot of it into my veins, and now it was pumping around my body, stealing every morsel of heat.

"That fits," I whispered.

Edward nodded.

"And Harry destroyed the Horcrux with—"

"A basilisk fang!" I looked over in Ron and Hermione's direction and saw them slipping from view. "They're going to the Chamber of Secrets, aren't they?"

"Yes," Edward said simply, gazing over my head to the spot from which the two had just disappeared. "Bella, there's something else."

I looked back at him, and I knew that Jasper was informing him silently of the terror that one little sentence had provoked.

"I don't really know how—perhaps Harry has a similar ability to Alice—but before he left, he had a vision. It's Voldemort … He knows that Harry is destroying Horcruxes. He's checking to see which ones are safe, and which have been taken … which means … he's coming here."

Edward didn't need Jasper this time to realise my fear—the second the words were out, my heart flew into overtime; I could feel it banging against my ribcage and, suddenly, their didn't seem to be enough air to fill my desperate lungs, which seemed to be shrinking with the pressure of my terror. Immediately I was in Edward's arms. He scooped me up and pressed me to his chest, rocking me gently as I fully absorbed his words.

"It's OK, Bella," Emmett said in his attempt to reassure me. "We'll fight him. We won't let him hurt you."

"You don't understand," I whispered. "It's not me I'm concerned about. I'll have you to help deflect the jinxes and curses should any fly my way, but there aren't enough of you to protect every student in this school. If Voldemort is coming," I added fearfully, my eyes roaming over the faces of my many friends, "then the chances of everyone surviving the fight are virtually zero … If Voldemort is coming … I have no idea how many, but there will be people in this room that won't live out the night."

The Cullens' faces all now reflected my horror. They looked about the room and considered the gravity of my statement.

"But they're practically children," Esme whispered. "They're just children."

"Do you think that matters to him? He tried to kill Harry when he was only a toddler. People like me and Hermione Granger—Mudbloods—and those like the Weasleys who associate with us—Blood Traitors—we're vermin in his eyes. He wouldn't think twice about killing us."

Low growls erupted from both Edward and Alice. From Edward it was only to be expected; however, it was strange hearing such a small, pixie-like creature like Alice release such feral sound.

"Imagine placing an immortal Hitler in the middle of a room filled with defenseless Jewish families. Now, give him and his officers wands that each have the potential to be more lethal than an atomic riffle. That's what it's like. To some of them, it's little more than a fun and productive game that achieves the desired social cleansing. They'd torture us just for the sheer satisfaction of it, and then they'd kill us, or anyone else who got in their way. And after they'd finish, they'd continue rounding up the Muggle-Borns on the outside. Azkaban will probably have to be extended before long; either that or they'll have to build a second Aucshwitz.

"I've lived with some of these people for six years of my life and have known them for seven." I had nodded my head in the direction of Neville and the rest of the seventh year Gryffindors, and my vision blurred with the film of moisture. "They're almost like siblings. How would you feel if you knew someone was coming, and would succeed in killing at least one member of your family? How would you feel if there was nothing you could do that would make damn bit of difference?"

The tears rolled down my face. I turned my head into Edward's chest to prevent any of the nearby students from noticing. He didn't speak—none of them did—for there wasn't really anything to say. Eventually I decided to address a subject that I knew would not bode well with Edward.

"Edward, I realise that you'll do everything you can to protect me, but—"

"Bella," he warned.

"No, hear me out. I understand that you'll do your best, but these aren't vampires we're facing. You can't beat them simply through strength alone. If something happens to me, which it might, I—"

"We're not discussing this, Bella. I refuse to allow any creature, no matter what species they are, to rip you away from me, especially not now when I've only just come to terms with the idea of keeping you forever."

I knew it was pointless to argue, so I took a different approach.

"I love you."

"As I do you."

I smiled then, and cast my mind back to a happier time.

"Would you like to hear a secret? Do you want to know the first moment I knew we were meant for each other, or, at least, the first moment I knew I would never love anyone more than you?"

Edward's expression softened as he looked into my tear-stained face. He nodded. The rest of his family were listening, but I really didn't care.

"It was when we were in the cafeteria at school and you were telling me about your hunting habits. You were talking about Emmett's favourite and how he's like a bear." I heard a distinct chuckle from said bear at that point. "And then I asked you about your favourite, and you told me 'mountain lion.'"

Edward nodded at the memory, though his expression betrayed his confusion at why this moment was such a defining one for me.

"You said you were like the lion, and that maybe preference was indicative. That was when I knew."

"I don't understand," he admitted softly.

"Well, you see …" It was at that moment when I chose to conjure my Patronus. It travelled through the air and circled our group, emitting brilliant light that made Edward appear even more impossibly beautiful as it touched his marble skin. "My Patronus is a lion. It always has been.

"The shape a person's Patronus takes usually reveals something of their character. It can indicate their qualities and personality, or sometimes it assumes the same form of the Patronus cast by the one they're in love with. The shape of mine never made sense to me. I've been known to be protective, I guess, but I would never have compared myself to a lion. It was a mystery to me … until I met you. I guess we were destined for each other."

The lion moved back towards us until its head was an inch from Edward's chest. Then, just before it faded into nothing, it touched it's temple to the area in which laid his heart. His eyes lingered on the spot where it had made contact, before he lifted his face to mine and kissed me.

It was gentle, but it managed to convey more meaning than any sentence could ever deliver. When he pulled back, his expression was unbelievably tender. He stroked my cheek with one hand, whilst holding me with the other. He was about to speak when the portrait door swung open once again, and in filed a line of familiar faces, resulting in loud cheers and lots of clapping.

I recognised those with whom I had once played Quidditch. There was Oliver Wood, Katie Bell, and Angelina Johnson. I was stood close to the secret entrance, which was probably why they approached me first. The girls ran at me, and I only just had enough time to pull away from Edward before they pounced, embracing some part of torso in bone-crushing hugs.

"Bella! You're ok!"

"Of course I am," I laughed. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"We were worried they might have gotten to you," Angelina explained. "With the Muggle-Born registration rubbish … well, we didn't know whether or not you would have presented yourself."

"Why would I go and do something like that?"

"Did you go into hiding?" asked Katie.

"No, I just moved back to the States instead."

"Right... of course. Well that makes sense. Why didn't we think of that, Katie?"

"Maybe you both got hit in the head with a bludger one two many times," I laughed. Angelina hit my arm lightly in response, chuckling as she did so.

Wood, who had just finished greeting the Weasley twins, came over to say hello. Like the girls, he gave me a similar bone-crushing hug, lifting me off the floor and swinging me around.

"Wood! Can't – breathe!" I wheezed.

"Tut, tut, Swan. Have you forgotten the no-pain attitude already? You've been out of the game too long. Weakness, that is. Weakness!"

We all laughed in unison, before I directed their attention over to the Cullens.

"Guys, I'd like you to meet Edward—my fiancé. And this is his vegetarian vampire family. They follow a strictly no-human diet."

Edward beamed at me. I guess he really liked being introduced as my future husband.

"Whoa! Hold up! You're engaged?" Angelina blurted.

"Merlin's beard!" Katie exclaimed, "That's mental! Congratulations, Bella!"

I smiled.

"I love how you guys are more surprised by Bella's bombshell that she's getting married, rather than the fact that she's getting hitched to a vampire. No offense, of course," Wood said, now addressing Edward. "I just think it's pretty amusing that their priorities are marked so clearly."

Edward laughed, grasping Wood's hand when he offered it for a handshake.

"Don't be fooled by that sweet exterior, mate," he warned, "She might look tame, but she's a devil, I swear! I lost count of how many Slytherins she fouled when she first made the team. It was basis of her appeal."

"What are you talking about?" Edward asked, clearly amused despite his confusion.

"You know, Quidditch. Did she not tell you she was on the Gryffindor house team? She's a natural born Chaser!"

"What's Quidditch?" Emmett asked over Edward's shoulder.

The jaws of my friends dropped at precisely the same moment, before they rounded on me.

"You didn't tell them about Quidditch?!" Wood asked, disbelief colouring his tone. "How could you not tell them about Quidditch?! That's … That's criminal!"

"Well I only just told them about the existence of wizards and witches. I've been a bit more concerned with explaining about the war. Honestly, Wood, Quidditch isn't exactly a priority at the moment."

The expression this last comment provoked indicated that it had obviously been an inconsiderate and offensive thing to say. He turned his back on me and began explaining the sport to the Cullens, all of whom listened on with rapt attention.

"And is it difficult, then, to make the teams?" Esme questioned.

"Absolutely. You have to be able to handle a broom with ease, which not everyone can do. You also need to be agile and well-balanced."

"And you're telling us Bella fits those requirements? Ha!" Emmett boomed. "Do you even know her at all?"

"Probably better than you do, mate," said Fred as he came walking up to the group. "I know her gracefulness is abysmal on the ground, but you haven't seen her in the air. She definitely compensates."

"Did you tell them how ruthless she can be, Wood?" asked George.

"I'm not that bad!" I protested.

"Tell that to Malfoy!" he retorted, before turning his attention back to the Cullens. "He was about to catch the Snitch once, only Bella wouldn't stand for that. She flew into his path so that he had to swerve to prevent a collision, but being the pillock that he is, he flew into the goal post and knocked himself out. And then, of course, there was the time you used that excuse that a bludger was about to hit you to fly into Montague and 'accidentally' head-butt him. It couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that he cast a toe-nail growing hex on you two days before?"

"He had it coming." I muttered, shuffling my feet and suddenly finding my shoes very visually interesting. When I looked up again, the Cullens each had eyes as wide as saucers. I'd never been one for Muggle sports, so they had never had the opportunity to witness my competitive streak. It was probably a good thing.

Thankfully, I was saved from my embarrassment when the portrait opened again, providing us all with the distraction of more newcomers, some of whom I recognised. First there was Remus Lupin, our old Defense teacher. Next came Kingsley Shacklebolt who had been at the Ministry the night I had gone with Harry and the others into the Department of Mysteries. Then, surprisingly, Fleur Delacour walked in, her hand clutching that of a man with flaming red hair. I assumed this must be one of the Weasleys. I guessed Bill, because he was the only brother I hadn't met, though I'd only seen his younger sibling, Charlie, once at the Tri-Wizard tournament. There was also Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, both of whom I had met on various occasions during the school holidays whilst I had been visiting the Burrow to play Quidditch with the twins. Mr. Weasley had set up a port key for me numerous times, back in the days when I hadn't been experienced enough to perform the spell.

Mrs. Weasley ran up to our group after catching sight of the terrible twosome, ensnaring them both in a mighty hug. Before she left to see Ginny, she patted me on the cheek and gave me a quick but affectionate embrace. The group dispersed then, and I was left with just my family.

"So, you play dirty then, Bella?" Emmett asked.

I rolled my eyes at him.

"Edward, where abouts in the castle is Harry? Could you search for him?"

"He's just left the Ravenclaw common room with an elderly woman in a tartan dressing gown … Professor McGonagall. I'm sorry Bella, I should have been keeping tabs on him, but I just assumed that he'd be ok considering he has an invisibility cloak. I was watching Ron and Hermione instead."

"Is everything ok?" I asked.

"Harry was attacked by the Carrows in the common room, but apparently they've been taken care of. They …"

"Edward?"

"Your Professor has just run into Snape. She … He …" Edward inhaled sharply and my heart went into double-time again. "Bella, I can't read Snape's mind. Why can't I read Snape's mind?"

I exhaled. "I think Snape must be an accomplished Occlumens. It's a special branch of magic that helps to protect the mind from intrusion. It's a rare gift. Not many people bother to learn it."

"Did you learn it?" he asked inquisitively.

I nodded. "I once saw Harry being possessed by Voldemort. I'd managed to get away from a battle we were having with a group of Death Eaters, because I wanted to go and help him. I saw his face when it happened and it terrified me. For weeks I had nightmares about being possessed, so I did some research and learned that the best way to prevent it was through Occlumency. It was very difficult to learn and it took me the best part of a year, but I got it in the end.

"I think what you do must be a form of Legilimency. It's not possession, but it's similar in that it involves mental intrusion. I guess that's why you can't hear Occlumens like me, because we know how to defend our minds."

Edward remained silent as he took in my words, then suddenly he announced, "They're fighting!"

"Snape and McGonagall?" The whole family was looking at Edward now, all of us waiting with bated breath.

"Alice? Who will win?" Jasper asked.

"I don't know, Jazz. I haven't been able to see anything since that first vision. Something is blocking me!"

"Remus Lupin—over there—is a werewolf. An actual werewolf. Your vision probably stopped when he heard we were gathering and decided to come." I turned my attention back to Edward.

"There's a giant serpent about to attack McGonagall. It's turned to smoke. Now she's sending daggers at—she's missed. He used a suit of armour to shield himself. Now there are other people there … there's a tiny man and a plump woman."

"That'll be Flitwick and Sprout," I blurted.

"And there's a big, roundish man in silk pyjamas."

"Slughorn."

Edward described the rest of the fight, which culminated in Snape's cowardly flight from the castle after he jumped through a high window. He then proceeded to inform us that the teachers were performing defensive spells to protect the castle.

"Professor McGonagall is speaking to Professor Slughorn. She's telling him that if he or any of the Slytherins attempt to sabotage the resistance they'll … they'll duel to kill."

"You mean … the teachers would kill the students?" Carlisle asked appalled.

"Carlise," I addressed him, "I know this is difficult to grasp, but you have to understand that this is a war. An actual full on war, not a school-ground brawl. It's no secret that the Slytherins are fans of the Unforgivable Curses. Most of their parents are Death Eaters. Their offspring have adopted the same principles. If any of them try to sabotage the resistance, as McGonagall put it, they'll be doing so knowing that their actions will contribute to the death of Harry and his allies. Only those of age will be allowed to stay, which in the wizarding world is those seventeen and over, so it's not like we'll not be battling children. We'll be fighting adults wielding dangerous magic who happen to be attempting to kill us. I know it's horrible, but it's just the way it is."

"Slughorn isn't going to side with the Death Eaters," Edward told us. "He doesn't like the idea of going up against them, but he knows which side he'll pick if he has to."

I nodded. I'd never thought of Slughorn as the usual breed of Slytherin. He was ambitious and resourceful, yes, but I'd realised quickly that he didn't share the same prejudice of Muggle-Borns as those of his house.

"Harry and Luna are on their way to instruct everyone to go to the Great Hall where evacuation procedures will be discussed."

"Alright. Just so you know, everyone," I said to them, surprising myself in the way I suddenly seemed to have adopted the role as temporary leader, "the most important person in this entire battle is Harry. When we went to the Ministry to fight off the Death Eaters in fifth year, we discovered that they were after a prophecy about Harry and Voldemort. Though it smashed before any of us could hear it, I'm guessing that it had something to do with the final battle. Most people believe, as do I, that only Harry can kill Voldemort. If Harry dies, it's over. It's vital that we do everything in our ability to protect him. Got it?"

Everyone nodded as Remus' voice announced Harry's arrival.

"Harry, what's happening?"

Harry looked astonished as he stared at the crowd, probably wondering how it could have expanded so much since he had last laid eyes on it. Fred informed him that he and his brother had sent messages to the rest of the DA who had, in turn, alerted the Order of the Phoenix.

"What's first, Harry?" called George. "What's going on?"

"They're evacuating the younger kids and everyone's meeting in the Great Hall to get organized… We're fighting."

A roar filled the room and everyone began moving towards the door. I grasped Edward's hand in mine and squeezed.

"Time to go."


	3. The Assembly

**A/N: Thank you very much for your positive comments. It's great motivation. Reviews are very much appreciated. Here's the next chapter; I hope you enjoy it.**

We followed the other students from the Room of Requirement and emerged into the seventh floor corridor. I looked over at the others and watched their faces as they reacted to the castle. I didn't want to miss anything, not even the most insignificant of details. I'd imagined countless times what it would feel like to finally be able to show them the real me—the Bella that was strong and powerful, as opposed to the meek little creature they were used to.

During my time at Hogwarts, I had been anything but that. I was respected amongst my friends for my Quidditch skills and my involvement with the DA. Due to my strong friendship with Fred and George, I'd also been known to partake in a few of their schemes, like the time I had helped them place their portable swamps in our mutinous efforts against Dolores Umbridge. My involvement in various Weasley antics consequently earned me a bit of a reputation, though it wasn't quite as infamous as my comrades.

I had always striven hard to expand my knowledge of magic because, understandably, I loved it so completely. When I had been forced to limit the amount I performed after moving to Forks, however, it was no wonder why I had developed my image as the fragile, shy girl. For six years I had been living outside Muggle society; upon returning to it, I was extremely cautious in order to prevent provoking suspicion—maybe a little too cautious. In addition, my absence from that world had also meant that I was initially a little socially awkward. When my friends were discussing their favourite TV programmes, for example, I couldn't keep up with the topic. My own interests and theirs were worlds apart.

I wondered what Edward would think when he fully discovered what I was like in my natural environment. Would he be disappointed?

When we reached the edge of the corridor, we filed through the doorway and out onto the Grand Staircase. I heard Esme gasp and had the pleasure of seeing Rosalie's eyes practically pop out of her head. Carlisle's eyes, too, were wide, and Emmett's mouth was hanging open.

"Damn!" Jasper mouthed as he leant over the railing to peer down the levels. "How big is this place, Bella?"

"We're on the seventh floor at the moment. You should see it from the outside. And the grounds are pretty extensive. We have a forest right next door that houses all sorts of magical creatures."

"Like unicorns?" Rosalie asked, unable to mask her excitement.

I nodded and smiled at her as we began to descend the stairs.

"Bella?"

"Yes, Carlisle?"

"Are those people in the pictures actually moving?"

I laughed loudly this time. After everything he'd seen, this surprised him?

"Yes, they are," I told him, pointing to the picture of the Fat Lady as we arrived at the entrance to the Gryffindor common room. "This is the portrait that guards the way into Gryffindor. You need a password to enter." I waved my hand at the Fat Lady, thankful that the faces of the Cullens were in my line of sight.

"Hello, Dear," she said.

"Hello!" I replied, "It's been a while since I last saw you. It's good to be back!"

The vampires stood as rigid as statues. I kept my face straight, but only just; internally, I was roaring with laughter.

"There's talk about the castle that a battle is about to take place. Is it true?"

"Yes, it is. Some of us will be staying to defend the school. The underaged and the Slytherins will be leaving. Feel free to boo the Slytherins as they make their way out. I'm sure no one will complain."

"I'll bear that in mind, Dear."

"Bye," I said as I turned and began descending again.

"This is all entirely impossible, Bella," said Edward. "You were just talking to a painting!"

"Naturally, it would have been rude to ignore her."

"But … you … she …" And then he shook his head and gave up, seeming to accept the impossible and my unquestionable logic.

We finally reached the bottom of the staircase and turned into the Great Hall. Once again, the Cullens froze, their eyes assaulted by what must have been to them an incredible sight. The enchanted ceiling was dark and scattered with stars. Hundreds of tiny candles were suspended in mid air, though their flames were small enough that their glow did not dim the starry view. The torches hanging in brackets on the walls of the Great Hall, however, provided enough light to see by. I would have liked to have spent longer appreciating the sight, but there were more important matters to attend to.

I led my family to the Gryffindor table. We sat down half way up: Jasper, Alice, Edward, and myself on one side, the four remaining vampires seated on the other.

I pointed out the school ghosts, and was again met by seven pairs of golden eyes that were wide with disbelief.

"Just assume that every supernatural being you've ever heard of is real, and you'll be fine," I suggested. I gave what I hoped was an encouraging smile, and then turned my head to face the raised platform, waiting for the assembly to begin.

Meanwhile, the younger students began filing into the Hall. Some were draped in travelling cloaks, but most were wearing pyjamas and dressing gowns.

"Mermaids?" Esme said, a bright look in her eyes.

"Huh?"

"Mermaids," she repeated. "Are they real?"

"Oh right," I answered, pulling myself together. "Yes, they are. There are some living in the lake outside. It's also the home of the Giant Squid." If it hadn't been Esme who had asked the question, they probably would have assumed I was using sarcasm. That was usually reserved for her children though, so they accepted my words.

"Wow," Alice whispered. "I want to meet one."

"They're not what you'd expect mermaids to be like. They're far from beautiful. Actually they're a little scary, and pretty vicious at times."

"What about goblins?" asked Jasper.

"They exist too. They usually deal with treasure. They look after Gringotts, the wizard bank."

"Elves?" asked Emmett.

"Yep. There are house-elves lurking all over the castle."

"Phoenixes? You mentioned an Order of the Phoenix earlier," Carlisle pointed out.

"I did. And, yes, they do exist. Dumbledore had one called Fawkes, but it left after he died." I pointed to Firenze as he entered the Hall. "Look, there's Firenze. He shares the Divination classes with Professor Trelawney. There are other centaurs living in the For—"

"Excuse me," a voice interjected from my right. I looked over to see a small boy—probably a first year—peering in our direction. He was huddled amongst a crowd of children of similar ages, and was wearing an expression of excitement and fascination, as were a few of his friends. Others appeared slightly nervous, but curious nonetheless.

"Yes?" I asked politely.

"We've heard … Someone said and we were wondering … Are you …" He looked into the faces of my family, his eyes eventually settling on Emmett. A wide grin spread across his face as he continued in hushed tones, "Are you really vampires? Everyone is saying that you are. They're saying you're a family of friendly non-human eating vampires and that you've come to help defend the school! Is it true? "

"Er … Yes, we're here to do whatever we can to help," said Carlisle, who was obviously a little unsure of how to respond, unused to admitting the details of his species and family so openly.

The little boy turned back in on his friends, shortly after which quiet, little giggles could be heard spilling from the group.

Having realised that the vampires were friendly, the rest of the children seemed to become more confident. They leaned down the table to get a better look, and one even scooted down so that he was sat only a yard away from Emmett, who looked surprised that the youngsters seemed to find him less imposing than fully-grown adults usually did. The rest followed the boy's lead and shuffled closer.

"How strong are you? I've heard that vampires are super strong! And lightning quick!"

Slow smiles began creeping onto the faces of the Cullens; evidently the freedom of not having to hide their true identity was just as enjoyable and liberating for them as it was for me. I smiled, content in the knowledge that I had finally been able to give them something they could appreciate. I just wished I could have introduced them to my world under better circumstances.

"You could say we're pretty strong," Emmett grinned. "We fight bears and mountain lions with our bare hands. We can bite through any substance in the world, and crush metal to dust with minimum effort."

"Wow!" the kids chorused, each of them transfixed on Emmett, who looked elated at the fact that he was receiving such a positive reaction.

"Here, show us," said a cute little brunette with thick hair that fell in tight ringlets about her tanned face. She handed Emmett one of the gold candelabras that stood lining the table.

Emmett was about to perform the trick when a boy interrupted, "No wait! I think you should do it," he said, pointing at Alice and grinning with a smile that touched his eyes. "You're the smallest, so it'll be way more impressive if you can crush it."

Alice laughed and took the candelabra as Emmett handed it to her. She broke the thick bottom stand off with no more effort than a human would when breaking up a bar of chocolate, before handing the larger section to her husband. The eyes of the children went wide as she closed her fingers around the gold object, grinning as she did so. When she opened her palm again, the block had turned to dust. Alice brought her hand to her lips and blew. The dust flew into the air and began falling in swirls, glittering as it caught the amber light of the torches. As the glitter hit the table, the children seemed to exit their trance, and all broke out with happy laughs and grateful cheers. The giggling was infectious, and it was little more than a second before we were all grinning and laughing together.

"Alright, now it's your turn," I said, smiling at the children. "My friends only just learned about witches and wizards today, so I'm sure they'll be impressed by anything you can show them. Who wants to fix the candelabra?"

"I'll do it!" said the boy who had initiated the conversation. "I remember this one!"

He pulled his wand from his pocket and pointed it at the broken object still held in Jasper's alabaster hand. As he shouted out the spell '_Reparo_', I smiled and winked at Edward whose lips twitched in response. The sparkling grains flew up from the table and reconnected themselves, leaving the golden object as good as new.

The Cullens and I cheered and clapped; by this point, my family had already witnessed magic far more advanced than a simple repairing charm, but they were all eager to praise the child. I suspected that this was partly due to the fact that any magic to them at the moment was impressive, however simple, and partly because they were appreciative of little boys trusting and accepting attitude. I cheered because I too was grateful for his behaviour towards my family, and I genuinely like him for it.

The boy was obviously satisfied with our reactions and impressed by his handiwork. He looked up at Rosalie, who had clapped and cheered the loudest, and gave her a cheeky smile. She looked at him lovingly and beamed, but her joy visibly turned to horror as a pearly body floated down to fill the space between me and the youngster.

"Well, hello there, Miss Swan!" said Nearly-Headless Nick, "It's good to see you're back for the fight! It is only to be expected of a Gryffindor, after all."

"Hello, Sir Nicholas," I replied. "It's good to be back."

"And this must be the family I've been hearing about. Angelina Johnson tells me you're engaged. Is this the strapping young lad, here?" he questioned, indicating Edward, who look slightly disturbed at being addressed as such by a dead man.

"Yes," I giggled.

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, young man, and the same goes for the rest of your family." He bowed and lifted his partially severed head, tilting it to the side in what was evidently intended as a polite and welcoming gesture.

I studied the faces of the Cullens and distinctly saw Jasper give a very uncharacteristic gulp. His jaw was tight and his eyes were rivalling golf balls in size. I shook with laughter and did my very best to suppress the tears that were forming at the corners of my eyes. He threw me a look that clearly said '_carry on and I swear I will eat you_', but it only made things worse and I had to press my face into Edward's shoulder to prevent myself from bursting into hysterics and offending the Gryffindor ghost. He did have a tendency to be a little temperamental, after all.

Edward straightened up and addressed the ghost. I imagine he thought that it was unacceptable for a vampire to demonstrate discomfort, whilst surrounded by children and adults alike who seemed to have no problem with the idea of taking part in lengthy conversations with transparent individuals.

"Thank you," he answered politely, though a little stiffly. "It is very nice to meet you, Sir Nicholas. My family and I have every intention of doing our best to protect the school and its students."

"Well said, boy! Well said! We'll give those disgraceful excuses for wizards a fight to remember. Welcome to the fold!"

Nick floated off then in the direction of the Fat Friar, who was huddled amongst the Hufflepuffs. Edward's posture relaxed slightly, before going rigid again in the next second. His fists clenched and he growled. It was virtually silent amongst the loud voices filling the hall, but it was terrifying all the same.

"Edward?" Jasper said, more alert than ever as he tasted his brother's mood.

"He's here," he snarled. I knew who he was referring to before he said the name. I stopped breathing. "Voldemort is here. He's outside with the Death Eaters. There are dozens of them … Bella?"

I cast my eyes up to his face, but couldn't bring myself to speak.

"His face … Why does he look like that? Why is his face so … snake-like?"

I inhaled deeply and closed my eyes, forcing myself to concentrate on Edward's question. "I have no idea. I don't know what he looked like before he tried to kill Harry. I assume that whatever happened that night mangled his face beyond recognition. Either that, or the act of mutilating his soul repeatedly has had a direct effect on his body."

Edward stared at me silently as he considered my theory. It was so quick that I was unsure whether it had happened at all, but I thought I saw his eyes flash with pain, and I prayed that he wasn't applying my words to explain his own physical transformation.

Suddenly, the bustling noise echoing throughout the Great Hall diminished as Professor McGonagall walked to the front of the platform and called for silence.

"I'm sure the news has reached you all by now," she called. "Hogwarts is about to undergo a siege that will be led by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. He and his supporters have already succeeded in infiltrating the Ministry and, therefore, we cannot expect any call for aid to be answered by our _'leaders'_—" she said the term mockingly, as if finding it ridiculous, "—in our hour of greatest need. I and the other Professors, along with the Order of the Phoenix, will remain behind to hold off the attack.

"You, on the other hand, are to go to the Room of Requirement situated on the seventh-floor corridor, where you will be led from the school. The evacuation will be overseen by Mr Filch and Madam Pomfrey. Prefects, when I give the word, you will organise your house and take your charges, in an orderly fashion, to the evacuation point."

"And what if we want to stay and fight?" shouted Ernie Macmillan from over at the Hufflepuff table.

Professor McGonagall continued her speech, informing everyone that those of age would be allowed to stay behind. I caught sight of Harry heading along the tables as I listened, and looked at Edward questioningly.

"He's searching for Ron and Hermione," he explained. "He doesn't know they went to the Chamber of Secrets."

"Do they have the Basilisk fangs yet?" I whispered.

"Yes. They've only just cut them from the snake. Ron is telling Hermione she should do it. He destroyed the locket, and Harry destroyed the diary. She … The Horcrux is doing something. It's torturing her."

"Torturing! What do you—"

"Not physically. Mentally. It's projecting images of Ron and Harry dead. It's talking to her, telling her that if they stay and fight, her friends will die. It's telling her that …"

Edward sucked in a shallow breath and held it. I felt my pulse quicken and my breathing accelerate. I gripped his hand as the adrenaline coursed through my body. Instantly, his face broke into a breathtaking smile.

"She's done it!" he whispered suddenly. "She's destroyed the goblet!"

"That leaves only the diadem, if that really is the missing Horcrux, and the snake!" Alice chipped in.

I was about to smile with the knowledge that we were one step closer to ridding the world of Voldemort forever, but my momentary happiness was eradicated as a high, cold voice drowned out that of my old Transfiguration professor.

"I know you are preparing to fight."

Screams of terror erupted throughout the Great Hall. Like the students, a few of the Cullens began looking around for the source.

"He's still outside," Edward said.

"He's using the _Sonorous __spell_." I whispered.

"Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood."

Everyone sat in silence now, absolutely petrified.

"Give me Harry Potter," the voice went on, "and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you shall be rewarded.

"You have until midnight."

Not one individual spoke in the issuing seconds. All attention was focused on Harry. I scanned my eyes over the faces of the students, and despite the fear that was still dominating their features, I glimpsed little indicators that told me they would not desert our friend. Some directed tiny smiles of encouragement and reassurance at him; others sent brief nods his way to convey they were still his.

Voldemort's words had achieved the opposite effect of that he had intended. Instead of crumbling our resistance, they only strengthened it, welding our allegiance and uniting us against our common enemy.

The first test of our reinforced loyalty came when a voice from the Slytherin table broke the silence.

"But he's there!" Pansy Parkinson screamed, raising a hand and pointing at Harry, "Potter's _there_! Someone grab him!"

I felt rage flare inside me, clawing at my gut like a monster trying to break free. Before I knew what I was doing, I was on my feet with my wand stretched out in front of me, the tip aimed at the girl stood facing the other three houses of Hogwarts.

In my periphery, I saw that others had reacted in the same instant with the same fluid movements. I kept my eyes fixed on Parkinson, noting the way in which her eyes popped as they travelled the length of the Hall. The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs stood behind must have followed the example set by the Gryffindors. Once again we were united against Slytherin. It reminded me of the times we had done so when playing for the Quidditch Cup.

I felt Edward's arm brush against mine as he stood up and leaned forwards, a low growl vibrating through his torso. The rest of the Cullens followed suit. I smiled with satisfaction as the eyes of the Slytherins zeroed in on my family. Pansy glanced at Edward and went rigid, before instinctually taking a step back.

"Thank you, Miss Parkinson," Professor McGonagall said curtly. "You will leave the Hall first with Mr. Filch. If the rest of your house could follow."

The Slytherins eagerly made their way from the Hall, the underaged Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and Gryffindors following closely behind them.

I returned to my seat, as did the rest of those who were staying behind, to await further instruction. Edward sat down beside me, and I turned my face to his, confused at first at the expressions he and his family held as they regarded me. I paid the closest attention to Edward's, realising that it was overflowing with both sheer awe and absolute pride.

"Bella," he murmured in an astounded voice, "that was incredible. The way you reacted … it was …"

"I reacted no differently to anyone else," I shrugged.

"That didn't make it any less impressive," added Jasper. "Quite the opposite, actually. The emotion that swept the room in that first second was unbelievable. It almost knocked me off my seat. I've never felt anything like it!"

"The sight alone was inspiring." Carlisle said. "I've never seen such a breath-taking display of unity. You're certainly full of surprises today, Bella."

I beamed at him. "You've seen nothing yet."

Their eyebrows shot up again and each of them grinned, before Emmett broke the silence with a resounding laugh.

"I guess there was more than one meaning behind your Patronus, after all," he boomed. "And to think we all thought you a lamb!"

As our quiet laughter ended, I caught sight of Harry. The Cullens followed my gaze and stared at him. He met them with a grateful smile, and I guessed that he was remembering how a group of strangers had proved their willingness to protect him. He motioned with his head for us to move down the table. I smiled happily and led the Cullens towards the remaining Gryffindors, all of whom received us with friendly faces.

Kingsley then took the platform and began handing out posts. It was decided that a group of students would accompany Flitwick, Sprout and McGonagall, each of whom would take one of the three highest towers—the Ravenclaw tower, the Astronomy tower, and the Gryffindor tower—where they would be the most likely to hit the enemy targets attempting to penetrate the school. Lupin, Mr Weasley and Kingsley would take a group of students into the grounds to duel the Death Eaters and creatures lurking there.

Kingsley then turned his attention to selecting someone who could organise the defence of the entrances into the school, for which Fred and George volunteered. They, along with the other leaders, took to the platform and began dividing us all into groups.

"Bella," Fred called, "We'll take you and the Cullens. If Harry is going to be searching the castle for something, we need strong and able fighters to defend it until he's found … well whatever it is he's looking for. Is that ok with you?" he finished, glancing around at my family. We all nodded our approval.

When each of the leaders had assemble their teams, they led us out of the Great Hall.

"Wood, Angelina, Katie, and Lee: you're on Team Vampire and are to cover the entrance to the clock tower," said George, looking at his old Quidditch companions before addressing all of us. "The tower is a bit exposed so you'll need to spread out. We'll need some of you to defend the entrance in the courtyard, and then there will need to be at least two of you holding the separate floors. If old Voldy has taught his pets his skills, they might be able to fly up the levels once they've penetrated McGonagall and Flitwick's defences."

When the twins had finished dividing us and assigning us our positions, they gave us their departing, morale-boosting speech.

"Good luck, wizards, witches, and vampires," said George.

"We know you'll do us proud and defend the school to the best of your ability," continued Fred.

"It has been an honour to share our troublemaking teenage years here with you at Hogwarts …"

"And it is honour to stand with you against You-Know-Who tonight. Now, Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and friends of Hogwarts, take your positions …"

George and Fred raised their wands in the air, shouting in unison, "AND GIVE THEM HELL!"

The crowd cheered and stomped their feet, wands raised in a final display of allegiance, before we all went our separate ways in the direction of our posts.

My friends and I led the Cullens up a flight of stairs and through a set of corridors. When we reached our destination, the vampires gasped aloud as they took in the sight.

Our position halfway up the tower would usually have provided me with a spectacular view of the stone courtyard leading out onto the covered bridge, beyond which was Hagrid's hut and the sinister Forbidden Forest. It was too dark for me to see, but I knew the limited light would not hinder the perfect vision of the Cullens.

"_Lumos Maxima!"_ I exclaimed, casting a ball of brilliant white light into the air outside to illuminate the surrounding area.

We each took our places then. Wood went to guard the entrance on the ground level with Emmett and Jasper; Carlisle, Rosalie and Angelina took the first floor; I took the next with Edward and Esme; and the top floor was covered by Alice, Katie and Lee.

There were five minutes left until midnight, so all that was left to do was wait. I looked over at Edward and Esme, both of them wearing expressions of extreme concentration.

My family had only been at Hogwarts for an hour. In that time alone they had been shown more kindness and acceptance than they ever had in the Muggle world. As I looked out onto the grounds and awaited the coming tempest, I knew they would do everything in their power to protect the school and the people who called it home. They'd finally experienced what it felt like to be truly liberated, and I realised then that, tonight, perhaps it wasn't just wizards and witches who would be battling for the continuance of freedom.


	4. Towers and Corridors

**A/N: Thank you, once again, for your reviews. I hope you like the next chapter. I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. =D**

My heart was pounding with the force of a hammer as the first bell announced the countdown to midnight. In the very next moment, Edward stiffened and gave my hand a firm squeeze.

"Get ready," he murmured throatily. "They're coming."

I cast my eyes to the far end of the stone courtyard, and gripped my wand tightly as I considered a variety of possible spells in my head.

The second the last bell sounded, a streak of red light flashed from the covered bridge and through the stone courtyard, heading straight for Wood. It was well aimed and would have hit its target, but Emmett jumped to the side to shield him from attack, the light hitting him square in the chest and reflecting off his skin no differently than sunlight.

The brilliant glow of the orb, which was still floating above the courtyard, revealed twelve shadowy figures as they ran into view, each taking cover behind the stone pillars lining the area. I fired a stunning spell at one before he could make the dive. It caught him on the shoulder and propelled him through the air, his head cracking into stone, before he crumpled against the ground.

My attack immediately provoked a response from the surrounding Death Eaters, and at least six curses flew my way. Before they could hit me, something crashed into my side and forced me to the ground. I heard a sound like that of an explosion, which was surely a result of the curses smashing against the inner walls of the clock tower.

A weight above me pinned me to the floor, forcing my face to press against the wooden boards. Then the pressure lifted slightly, allowing me to rotate my body so that I could look up into the eyes of my protector. Edward was hovering over me, his hands on either side of my head, the rest of his length covering mine.

I didn't realise what he was doing at first, but then it hit me suddenly as I saw pieces of sandstone, some the size of small boulders, colliding with his rock-hard back and limbs. I knew it wasn't hurting him, but that didn't prevent his jaw from clenching in fury, or stop his beautiful golden eyes from turning livid. He truly did look like a blood-thirsty vampire now.

He pulled me up as the last block of rubble hit the floor, and immediately flew from my side in a movement too quick to see, scooping up the biggest piece of debris in one of his muscular, marble arms, before swinging his body forwards and catapulting the boulder at a figure in the far right corner of the courtyard. The Death Eater had just stepped out from behind his shielding pillar to throw another curse at Wood, and didn't have time to move out of the path of Edward's speeding missile. It smashed into his body with fatal force, thrusting him backwards and crushing him against a wall. I didn't need the light bathing the courtyard to know that his blood was now spilling freely against the cobbles below.

All of a sudden, a jet of green light was hurtling at me from my left. The simultaneous attacks of the six Death Eaters from only moments ago had been powerful enough to shatter a hole in the magical defences, leaving me exposed to further oncoming curses.

I reacted instantly and screamed, "_Protego horribilis!_"

The flare rebounded off the shield at a perpendicular angle, causing it to streak upwards into the starry sky.

Curses and jinxes were flying everywhere now, colliding against castle walls and stony pillars, giving the impression that an isolated storm had descended upon the courtyard, filling it with green and scarlet lightning, and resounding thunder.

Esme was following Edward's lead and hurling boulders at targets below. I didn't have time to check to make sure the others were okay, because the spells were still firing at me. The time for shields and disarming charms was definitely over now, and I knew that the only way to protect my breakable human friends would be to do as McGonagall had suggested: duel to kill.

A streak of green light flashed through the air yet again. It wasn't aimed at me this time but, instead, flew at those on the level above. I had no idea whether it had hit its target; I desperately prayed that it hadn't. The mere sight of it was enough, though. It filled me with anger and hate, and I aimed my wand at the pillar from behind which the curse had come.

"_Confringo!_"

The stone pillar exploded against the Death Eater, whose screams were cut off as he was blasted through the air and crushed beneath the rubble.

Esme shielded me as more curses were cast in my direction. The vampires and their impenetrable skin were definitely giving us an advantage, and I mentally thanked my lucky stars for sending me Edward and his family.

The following minutes created more casualties for our enemy, though our company remained unharmed. A shriek from below informed me that that was in danger of changing.

The sound was off, though I couldn't tell why at first. Then I realised that it had come from a male, but the pitch of it was higher than anything I had ever heard from the vampires, or even from Wood, for that matter.

"WHATTHEHELLBELLA!"

I cast my eyes over the ridge and realised that it was Emmett who had given the barely coherent scream. He was being attacked by an acromantula … as was Jasper. Wood had retreated to higher ground.

"YOU NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT GIANT SPIDERS!" he roared.

"You never asked!" I screamed back at him. "You're a vampire! I thought you were supposed to be fearless!"

"I am fearless! But a little heads-up would have been very,_ very _nice!"

I shot fire at the monsters towards the back—I didn't want to risk hitting the Cullen brothers defending the foot of the clock tower, so I decided to try and hold off those that were further away. Though I hit one or two, and frightened a few others into retreating, several of the spiders dodged my spell and advanced on the castle.

"Can you hold your own for a minute or two while I go help Jasper and Emmett?" Edward asked, throwing another boulder into the courtyard, this time aiming for the eight-legged creatures, as opposed to the remaining Death Eaters.

"I have Esme to shield me if I need it!" I responded, blasting a spell at the stone structure at the centre of the yard. A block of broken stone flew diagonally through the air, bludgeoning the head of one of our fuzzy friends. "Go help your brothers!"

Edward jumped over the railings and dropped to the ground, immediately grabbing the legs of an acromantula and swinging it against the castle wall, the blow killing the creature instantly.

The boys were doing a great job on the ground, for which I was thankful. I certainly did not want to be eaten by an army of killer arachnids. One, however, must have managed to creep around whilst each of them were occupied, for just as I was about to fire a jinx at one of the three remaining Death Eaters, a great, hairy spider launched itself over the railings, and flew towards me, it's pincers clicking madly in anticipation.

Esme was faster though, and in the next second that I saw her, she resembled nothing of the kind and gentle mother figure I had come to know so well. Her teeth were bared in a feral snarl as she jumped between us. It was so quick that I barely caught it, but her hands flew up and she plunged them into the beast's mouth, before pulling her arms in either direction and ripping its head in two. Blood and brains spilled across the floor as she kicked the abdomen into the air like a football, sending it soaring upwards in a high arc. It disappeared from view as it travelled further into the distance.

The snarl disappeared from Esme's face as she turned to me. Her ensuing smile was one of both relief and sheepishness. My eyes were practically popping out of my skull as I looked at her.

"Sorry about that, darling," she said, lovingly stroking my cheek. "I hope I didn't scare you."

I shook my head and attempted to regain a less astounded-looking expression.

"Don't be sorry," I told her. "You just saved my life! That was incredible."

"I'm just glad you're ok, dear. It would be unbearable for our family if anything were to happen to you."

I smiled at her now in earnest, and embraced her in a hug. She returned it, wrapping her arms tightly around me.

"Oh, Bella, you're going to get spider brains all over your clothes."

I looked down at my shirt; sure enough, some of the mess had transferred from Esme's clothing to my own during our hug.

"It's no big deal," I laughed, waving my wand and enjoying Esme's smile as the gunk disappeared from both our outfits.

"Bella!" Edward shouted as he jumped through the opening and back onto our floor. "We have to get to Harry, now! He's about to be attacked! There are Slytherins searching the castle for him. They're heading in his direction!"

My heart sank. Slytherins trying to impress the Dark Lord would surely go to any length to do so. I ran to the foot of the stairs leading up to the next level, and screamed, "LEE!"

As he came running down to meet me, I wasted no time, ordering him to take my place alongside Esme, whilst I ran up to Edward and allowed him to pull me onto his back.

"Where are you going?" he cried.

"To help Harry!"

And then we were off, speeding away towards an unknown danger.

I didn't need to point out the directions; apparently, Harry was heading for the Room of Requirement, and due to his amazing vampiric memory, Edward could remember the route back.

He ran through the corridors at an insane velocity, for which I was grateful. Sometimes, we'd pass students firing spells at shadowy targets, most of whom were dodging behind walls or shielded themselves from attack. Whenever I caught sight of a Death Eater, however, I would throw stunners over my shoulder in the hope that they would hit their mark. Most did, and the ones that didn't often contributed to the defeat of various enemies. They were too overwhelmed at having to defend themselves against the multiple charms and jinxes rocketing their way—three, four, sometimes five at once—and couldn't hold out against the students.

We were just about to exit out onto the Grand Staircase, when a colossal fist smashed through the wall on the right hand side ahead of us.

"Giants!" I squeaked, terrified, though I was well aware that Edward could easily manoeuvre his way around it in the blink of an eye.

He didn't though.

Instead, he stopped abruptly in the middle of the corridor, the force of it thrusting me backwards and breaking my hold from around his neck. I landed flat on my back, staring up at the ceiling. As I sat up, I glanced around confusedly in an attempt to discover the reason behind Edward's sudden halt. My head turned to the right and my eyes caught sight of something as I looked through the arched window.

For what could have been only mere moments, I gazed out onto the giant's dirt-covered face. His mouth was pulled into a massive lop-sided grin—the smug smile of a bully as he is about to injure a small and helpless victim—revealing a row of crooked, yellow teeth. He raised his arm in the air and pulled back his meaty fist until it was level with his ear.

My breath caught and my stomach clenched. I reacted reflexively and launched my body upwards, jumping out of the giant's path, with not a moment to spare, as he flung his fist once again through the defenceless rock. I landed on my front and immediately rolled so that my back was against the floor, before aiming a jet of fire at the giant's hand. He roared in agony and stamped his enormous feet against the ground, sending tremors through the earth and causing the castle to tremble slightly.

At first, I thought my actions would provoke an enraged retaliation, but the sound of his wails faded into the distance as the mammoth-sized man retreated from view. I concluded that he was probably heading off in the direction of the lake, or somewhere similar, where he would be able to find something cool to sooth his burns.

I stood up and turned to face Edward. He hadn't moved a muscle, and if I hadn't known better, I would have guessed that the basilisk from the Chamber of Secrets, buried deeply beneath the Castle, had escaped and was petrifying, once again, the inhabitants of Hogwarts.

"Edward?" I asked fearfully.

In an extremely slow and careful movement, he spun his body until his eyes met mine. The expression he held was terrifying—even more frightening than the animalistic snarl he had worn back in the clock tower. His face was a mask of pure, absolute, despair. My first thought upon seeing it was that something terrible had happened to Harry, Ron and Hermione, after which my mind flew to the Cullens. Had something happened to one of _them_? And if so, what?

And then … the despair was rolling over me too like an unstoppable wave, pushing me under and stealing my air.

"Bella," Edward whispered, his eyes full of fear and sadness, "I feel cold."

I couldn't understand what he was saying. The words made no sense—he was a vampire; he never felt cold. His skin was so icy that the air circulating him always felt warm, no matter what the temperature.

I waited for him to speak again—for him to explain what he meant—but before he even had the chance, a dark hooded figure hurtled through the hole that had been left by the giant, and forced Edward's body back against the opposite wall.

Suddenly, it clicked. How could I have been so stupid?! All the clues had been there: the sudden despair, the decreasing temperature (though, perhaps, in Edward's case the wintery chill was actually an internal sensation).

I jumped to my feet as another Dementor flew into the corridor, closely tailed by a third, both of which flew straight at Edward.

He struggled against them as they closed in and began sucking away his hope and happiness. I should have realised that there were some dark creatures that even vampires couldn't always beat. Deflecting physical attacks for them was easy, as I had witnessed in the previous minutes when I had watched them battling the hungry arachnids; spiritual and emotional attacks were another matter entirely, especially when you could offer a feast amassed through a hundred years of pain, guilt, and loneliness.

I pointed my wand at the Dementors and yelled, "_Expecto Pat—_"

Something hard cracked into the side of my head before I could get the words out. I smacked against the wall, my wand dropping from my hand with the force of the collision. I turned around to face my attacker and felt a blow to my gut, causing me to double over in pain.

I was about to reach out for my only weapon when I was yanked upwards by my outstretching arm. In the ensuing seconds, I felt the tip of a wand press against the flesh of my throat and a large hand ensnare my wrists. I pulled and squirmed to no avail.

"I'm going to make you watch, and then I'm going to kill you," an unknown voice whispered smoothly in my ear.

Tears were spilling freely down my cheeks as I looked on helplessly.

The Dementors were still feeding, each of their faces getting closer to Edward's. He had stopped fighting completely now, undoubtedly having given in to the debilitating despair. I could understand it; I had given up too.

Then, as one of the creatures began pulling back its hood, I felt the last tiny ember of resistance flicker somewhere within me. I remembered what was at stake—I remembered what I would lose if I allowed this to continue. The world could implode and send us all into a pit of fire and brimstone, and everything would still be fine as long as Edward's soul was safe. Having his body harmed would be terrible enough, but his soul was the most precious thing in the existence, and it was about to be destroyed.

That was unacceptable.

I had no wand to help me break free, so I did the only thing that I could. I jerked forwards, brought my leg up, and thrust it back to hit the unknown man between the legs. He buckled instantly, releasing my wrists in the process. I dived for my wand, grasped it tightly, rolled my body over and screamed a spell that sent him soaring through the hole in the castle wall to plummet to his death.

Then, I flashed my eyes in the opposite direction towards Edward and remembered, against all odds, that the Lion fell in love with the Lamb. My Patronus burst from my wand in an explosion of radiant light and flew forwards, expelling the darkness and chasing away the Dementors.

I didn't understand what I was seeing at first as I looked at Edward's slumped figure. His head was tilted upwards at an odd angle and his eyes were glassy and vacant. Above his open mouth hung a tiny ball of white light, which shone fiercely as it hovered in the air. And then it hit me with the force of a tidal wave: I was staring at Edward's soul … and it was by far the most beautiful thing that I had ever seen. It did exist—of course it did! He'd been wrong all along.

Without warning, the orb descended slowly into Edward's mouth. In the next second, he gasped loudly and inhaled a swift and sudden breath. He stiffened, before turning his head to look at me.

"Bella, you're bleeding!" He was at my side immediately, checking the wound at my head.

I knew he was in control of _that_ side of himself now, but I didn't want to cause him more pain than necessary. I pointed my wand at the spot where I felt the trickle of warm fluid, and murmured, "_Episkey._"

"I feel … absolutely awful," he admitted, his voice trembling in a way I had never heard it do so before. For the first time since I had met him, he looked vulnerable. "What happened?"

"There's no time to explain," I announced, remembering that we were needed urgently in the Room of Requirement. "We have to get to Harry! He could be in danger."

That was all that it took to return Edward to his alert self. His body went rigid again, and his eyes flashed wide. Then his face was overcome by a surge of rage. He let out a single mighty roar, before pulling me onto his back again and shooting off towards the Grand Staircase.

As we broke through the door and began racing upwards, I feared for the person who had ignited Edward's fury.


	5. Essence

**A/N: I hope you like this chapter. There are some issues in it that I really felt I needed to address. One of the things that I love about combining Twilight with Harry Potter is that I can use the ideas J.K.R. has provided to help develop S.M's characters. Please let me know your thoughts. I'd be glad to hear them. Once again, thank you for all your positive comments. You guys are great!**

"What's happening, Edward?"

"Someone called Crabbe is attacking your friends," he growled.

I didn't reply or demand further information. I didn't dare ask how serious it was.

We passed many students on our way to the Room of Requirement: some were carrying snargaluff pods and venemous tentacula; others were supporting their injured comrades, presumably searching for a safe place to take them.

Just as we were nearing the top of the staircase, we saw Sir Cadogan screaming abuse at an oncoming Death Eater.

"You scallywag! You fiend! You cancerous vermin! I'll have you!" the Knight shouted at the enemy, who kept looking over his shoulder to ensure he was not being pursued. This, combined with the distraction of Sir Cadogan, meant that the robed man did not see us heading for him, nor did he hear our approach, for Edward moved soundlessly up the levels.

The Death Eater, having had enough of the taunting voice, which followed him downwards as the knight maintained his chase, spun on his heels to face the source of his frustration, and blasted a spell at the frame the armoured figure was currently occupying.

Sir Cadogan let out a high yelp contrasting heavily to the usual pitch of his voice, and only just managed to hurl himself into the next frame in time before the spell hit the canvas and burst into flames.

"Why, you dog! Come back and fight me like a man! Come back here and take me on, you yellow-bellied coward!"

Sir Cadogan drew his sword, but it was unnecessary. The Death Eater turned and ran. We were little more than three metres away when he noticed us. Due to our hurtling speed, however, our opponent did not have time to raise his wand and aim a curse. Edward soared upwards, barely breaking stride as he ducked for the man's legs and swung him over the railings head first.

As we made the top of the stairs and entered into the corridor, I heard the echo of the Death Eater's screams, along with Sir Cadogan's cries of, "What chivalry! Many thanks, o valiant warrior!"

Then, as we turned onto the corridor where the Room of Requirement was located, my heart dropped and I let out a strangled cry.

The door to the room was open and oozing clouds of thick, inky smoke, whilst a burning light from inside cast a fiery glow against the opposing wall.

"Edward, are they—"

"No," he broke in. "They're heading for the door. They're on brooms and they're almost out … and they have the diadem!"

My heart leapt back up.

"Ron and Hermione are in front. They're going to make it, Bella."

In the very next second a broom came shooting out of the room, impossibly carrying three individuals. Their speed was too great, though, and they couldn't brake in time. The broom smacked into the wall and the riders were thrown against it with a mighty thud, before each of them fell on the hard, cold stone beneath. It was Hermione, Ron, and Goyle

We stood—or, at least, Edward did, whilst I still hung tightly to his neck, squeezing desperately—waiting for Harry to fly through the door and crash as his friends had only moments ago. Then I heard a low frantic scream, which was rapidly increasing in volume, and all of a sudden, another broom was colliding with the wall, this one carrying Harry and Draco Malfoy.

I let out a breath, which I hadn't realised I had been holding, sighing as I watched the door to the room disappear.

"I should have known," I stated, my eyes lingering on Malfoy as Edward let me down and we made our approach.

"C—Crabbe," choked Malfoy, as soon as he could speak. "C—Crabbe."

"He's dead," said Ron harshly.

I stopped abruptly.

Crabbe was dead? Admittedly, I had never liked the boy. He was as much of a bully as the rest of the Slytherins, but I would never have wished death on him.

Harry stood as the ghosts of the Headless Hunt sped past. His eyes trailed after them as they flew off down the corridor and rounded a corner, which was when he caught sight of Edward and I walking towards him and his group.

"Bella?"

"Harry!" I said anxiously. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Have you seen Ginny?"

"No. We were defending the clock tower when we …" I looked at Edward, unsure exactly what to tell my friends. Nobody other than the three of them—or, at least, I presumed so—was supposed to know of the Horcruxes, and I wasn't sure that informing them of Edward's ability was such a good idea for some reason. Would they trust us enough with this to let us help?

"She was supposed to be here. She was supposed to be going back to the Room of Requirement."

"Blimey, d'you reckon it'll still work after that fire?" asked Ron, but he, too, got to his feet, rubbing his chest and began looking left and right.

Then I noticed something hanging from Harry's arm. It took me a second to realise that it was an ancient, discoloured tiara. My pulse quickened as I saw it and recalled Edward's statement. In my excitement, I ran closer to the trio and blurted out the words without thinking.

"You got the Horcrux!" I squealed, my smile dropping instantly as I took in their astonished expressions. I heard Edward suck in a sharp breath, and I froze.

For a second, there was absolute silence, but it was broken by Hermione.

"Bella, how do you know it's a Horcrux? How could you possibly know that?" she whispered.

I glanced briefly at Edward and considered my reply. The only thing we could really tell them was the truth. There was no other explanation for how we could have acquired such information. I gave Edward an apologetic look before addressing the group.

"We didn't find out until we got here. We were in the Room of Requirement ... and, well … Edward can … read … minds." There eyes went wide, but then I saw the first indicators of doubt creep on to their faces. Furrows appeared between their eyes and they looked at each other uncertainly. Evidently, we'd have to convince them.

"He told me that that was what you were looking for, but none of us knew what a Horcrux was, so I … I asked the Room to give me a book explaining what they were … and it gave me _Secrets of the Darkest Art_."

Hermione gasped, but Ron and Harry still looked unconvinced.

"How do we know you're not working for him? How do we know you're not after the Horcrux so you can—"

"Ron!" I shouted offended. "Are you actually mad? You've known me for seven years! You know I'd never—"

"You could have been Imperiused! He knows we're destroying Horcruxes! He could have told you stuff and sent you to—"

"Ron," Edward said calmly, stepping forwards to look him in the eye, "If Bella had been placed under a spell to get the Horcrux, why would she have waited until now to come and get it? If Voldermort had sent her to retrieve the diadem, she would have known its location before entering the castle."

"I think Edward's telling the truth, Ron," Hermione said. "What he's saying makes sense."

"Are you willing to risk it?" Ron asked, though I distinctly saw some flicker of belief flash through his eyes.

"If I wanted to take the Horcrux from you, I could," Edward told him simply. "All we want to do is help you destroy it … and then you'll be free to go after the snake … Look, if you don't believe I can read minds, I'll prove it.

"Ron, when you first went back into the room, you and Hermione kissed. And you were absolutely ecstatic, because you've wanted to do it ever since she punched Malfoy in your third year."

"Alright, fine I—"

"And you love how cute she looks when she scrunches her nose when she's angry …"

"Ok, I—"

"And you think it's adorable how she bounces off to the library whenever she gets an—"

"I believe you! I believe you, ok? Now, will you please stop trying to convince me?" Ron's ears had turned scarlet. Hermione was blushing profusely and was trying to suppress a grin, though she failed miserably.

It wasn't Edward's normal practice to divulge other people's thoughts; he believed in allowing them as much privacy as he could offer, even though his talent made that difficult for him. I suspected that, on this occasion, Ron's embarrassment was exactly the emotion Edward had purposefully been playing on. Revealing so many personal details had obviously forced Ron into quick acceptance. He was probably scared of the lengths Edward would go to to persuade him. Clearly, Edward sometimes played dirty, too.

I smiled.

"Absolutely," said Edward, in answer to Ron's plea. "Now, how are we going to destroy the diadem? Where did you put the Basilisk fangs, Hermione?"

"I—I … took them into the Room with me," she answered, clearly shocked at the extent of Edward's knowledge.

I groaned. "Well then how are we going to get rid of the remaining Horcruxes now that we have no fangs to do it with?"

Now it was Hermione's turn to groan. Her head fell into her palms as she spoke, her voice low and muffled as a result. "We should have left the diadem in the room."

"What good would that have done us?" said Harry, annoyed. "We kinda _need _it to _destroy_ it, Hermione."

"No, you don't get it Harry," she went on. "We should have let it drop into the flames. That was Fiendfyre back there—cursed fire—it's one of the substances that destroy Horcruxes, but I would never, ever have dared use it, it's so dangerous."

"Well it's too late to do anything about it now," Ron sighed heavily. He punched a fist into his hand and growled. "If only we had the bloody sword! Evil, little Goblin!"

"The Sword of Gryffindor? Why would that work? If you can break Horcruxes apart through strength, why not let Edward—"

"The Sword of Gryffindor is tipped with Basilisk venom," interrupted Hermione, "which only has one cure. You need to damage the Horcrux so badly that it wouldn't be able to magically repair itse—"

"Wait! Phoenix tears are the only cure, right?" I said, excitedly, my words blurring together as I considered my sudden idea. "What about other types of venom? What about the types of venom that have no cure?"

My eyes flew to Edward and I saw understanding flash in his own.

"Vampire venom," he whispered. "My venom."

"Of course!" Hermione shouted, elated, running up to Harry and snatching the Horcrux from his grasp. "Of course! I can't believe I didn't remember! It never even occurred to me that _you_ could help us."

"Are you kidding me?" Ron asked. "We went all the way down into the Chamber of Secrets when we could have just asked him to open up?"

Hermione ignored him and thrust the diadem into Edward's hands. She stepped back immediately and waited, elation colouring her features.

"What do I—"

"Just bite it," said Harry.

Edward looked at me, before inhaling deeply and snapping his eyes to the silver tiara in his hands. As he brought it up to his mouth and took another steadying breath, his golden eyes seemed to harden and fill with resolve. He gave one last glance in my direction, before plunging his sparkling white teeth into the centre stone, wincing as a horrid and tarry substance squirting over his upper lip and into his mouth.

His eyes squeezed shut and he clutched diadem tighter. His body trembled as he held the Horcrux to his mouth, ensuring that as much of his venom was injected as possible. Then, as he withdrew his teeth, he let out a cry of pain, the wail transforming into a vicious snarl of hate as he violently snapped the thing in half. He fell to the floor and I ran to his side, terrified that he had been hurt in some way by the fragment of Voldemort's evil soul. A distant and haunting wail seemed to echo through the corridor, and both of us shuddered visibly at the sound.

"Edward," I murmured, holding his face in my unsteady hands, "are you alright?"

His eyes were pressed firmly shut, and remained so for the next few seconds as he sucked in deep, calming breaths.

"That was … excruciating," he whispered finally, before twisting his head and spitting a mouthful of dark, bloody liquid onto the floor. "When it touched my tongue, I saw things. I saw people dying—lots of people. I saw how he killed them, and felt the thrill it gave him each time he did it. And the blood—it tasted … evil."

"I think that must have been because it wasn't actually blood you were tasting," Harry interjected.

"I agree. It wasn't blood, but his essence," said Hermione, who looked understandably disgusted by the idea of having to undergo such an experience. "It doesn't surprise me in the slightest that you received that sensation upon biting the diadem. Voldemort is pure evil; his essence would reflect that."

"At least now we know the truth," Edward continued, turning his head so that he could look directly into my eyes, and vice-versa. The pain I saw there was unmistakable. "Venom destroys souls."

"That's right!" Hermione beamed before I had the chance to respond, not understanding the meaning behind Edward's words. "Now all we have to do is get to Nagini! With your help, Edward, we'll finally be able to end it!"

Edward smiled at her, but I clearly saw the anguish he concealed behind it. It hurt me to know that he was suffering, but there wasn't enough time to convince him of the truth at present—our first priority was the snake. The sooner we reached it, the sooner we'd be able to end the god-awful war. Until that time, the students and teachers of Hogwarts would continue to risk their lives, and some would inevitably lose them in the process. The sooner we killed Nagini, the less grief we would all have to suffer when the war finally came to an end.

Edward stood and pulled me carefully up by my arms, and we immediately took off back down the corridor with Harry, Ron and Hermione at our sides. I promised myself, though, as we travelled towards our target, away from the two Slytherins, both of who remained slumped against the castle wall, that as soon as the last piece of Voldemort's soul was destroyed—the one that resided within him—I would show Edward that he was nothing like the monster that had willingly mangled his most precious possession.


	6. Precipice

**A/N: Hey guys. I hope you're all doing well.**

Sounds of shouting and explosions reached my ears as we rounded the next corner. There, backing into view, flares of red light bursting from the tips of their wands, were Fred and Percy Weasley. Both were battling masked and hooded men, and were shielding themselves against the many oncoming Killing Curses.

We all picked up our pace at the sight. Edward could have been at their sides in a flash, but he was more concerned with staying alongside me in case I was in need of a shield.

We reached the Weasley brothers, and I was about to assist them in their fight, but before I could, Jasper and Alice came hurtling around the corner at the far end of the corridor. Edward and I immediately flew to them, our concern welling for the other members of the family.

"We had to fall back!" Jasper shouted, running towards us. "The Death Eaters brought in reinforcements not long after you left. There were too many spells hitting the beams supporting the upper levels. They were going to collapse, so we retreated into the corridor. It's narrower and easier to defend."

"There's still a vampire to every human, so we came to help you," Alice explained.

I looked over my shoulder towards the others. They were still duelling. A hood on one of the robed men had come down, and he had fallen to the ground, spikes having erupted all over his body after Percy hit him with a jinx.

I spun back to face Alice, "Well, we could definitely use—"

Suddenly, the air exploded somewhere behind me, sending a ripple of heat bursting through the corridor, which was now trembling madly, and I stumbled forwards as a result. The force of the blast must have propelled large slabs of rock in all directions, for Edward was instantly behind me, his body curved around mine, shielding me against the danger as he had done earlier. Smaller fragments were flying everywhere; some were hitting the wall nearby and bouncing off at considerable speed. I felt a sharp pain as one of the ricochets clipped me on the temple. Edward didn't let go, though, even as the blood began trickling down the side of my face.

I remembered Jasper and my head flew up in search of him. He had fled to the far end of the corridor and had his back to us. He was clutching the stone wall tightly, his fingers digging into the rock as he fought the bloodlust. Alice had her arms around his waist and was whispering something in his ear.

Then Edward's arms tightened around me, before inevitably releasing me as the missiles stopped firing our way. I staggered to my feet and pivoted on my heels, allowing the extent of the destruction to finally meet my eyes.

The corridor had transformed into wreckage. The floor was loaded with debris, and the ceiling no longer looked stable, for it was crumbling in places. A little further up from us, sections of wall had been completely destroyed—the blast having reduced them to the rubble, which now stood littering the floor and burying the students.

And, then, the world gave into screams of pain and echoing wails of horror and disbelief. It wasn't until I reached the injured and began helping them to worm out from beneath the blanketing stone and wood that I realised that some of the cries had been my own.

I saw Harry and Hermione stumbling together over the wreckage, and that was when we all heard it.

"No—no—no!" someone was shouting. "No! Fred! No!"

Our heads whipped towards the deafening sobs, and there was Percy Weasley, collapsed on floor and shaking his brother, Ron kneeling beside them, as Fred's eyes stared without seeing, the ghost of his last laugh still etched upon his face.

I looked on from the side, not fully understanding what was happening, expecting my old Quidditch buddy to suddenly start blinking rapidly upon his return to consciousness, after which he would chuckle and direct some witty comment at his hovering brothers. That's what was going to happen any second now—Fred was going to come around and … and be Fred.

"Edward," I said, my voice thick from my battle against reality and the growing lump at the back of my throat, "why isn't he waking up? When is he going to wake up?"

Tears were threatening to overflow as they rose against my damming eyelids.

"Bella … He's …" Edward whispered, unable to finish.

I shook my head furiously, refusing to accept his implication.

"He's gone," he said finally. And I knew, then, that any chance of denial had suddenly been ripped away from me. Edward was gifted with the ability of hearing life; if he was confirming it, then there was no denying that the mind and heart of Fred Weasley were deadly still, and would never again explode into life.

I felt myself falling, but couldn't stop it. I felt the grief flooding through me, but couldn't dispel it. I collapsed—front first—into icy arms, and then my body was being rotated so that, abruptly, the ceiling was in my line of sight as Edward cradled my limp frame.

Then he cursed, whipped my body up from the ground, and rocketed along the devastated corridor. My eyes stared upwards blindly, and I had absolutely no idea where I was as he turned this way and that, nor did I know where he was taking me. The only thing that I was aware of was that the halls were filled green, red and white lightning once again, and that people were screaming.

"Bella," he cried frantically, sitting me down against a wall. "Bella, please, look at me!"

When I didn't respond, he took my face in his hands and forced our eyes to connect. I stared into his golden irises and saw that they were swimming with grief, worry, and pity.

He began stroking my temples with his thumbs in his attempts to calm me. "Bella, I need you to be strong now. I need you to stay focused. We have to—"

But I didn't hear the rest of his words, because the weight of everything came crashing down on me, and the only sound filling my ears was that of my own violent screams. Fred's vacant face filled the space beneath my eyelids, the image provoking even louder cries of grief. I clutched at the torn fabric of Edward's shirt and pulled myself into him, but no matter how tightly I pressed my face into his chest, I still couldn't trap the stream of tears flowing down my cheeks. They continued to fall, and I continued to sob.

"Edward," a firm voice said from behind him, "let me."

Edward held me closely for a few seconds more, before he silently unclasped my fingers from his clothes and moved off to the side.

As quickly as the spot in front of me became empty, it was filled again by a kneeling body, and I looked up to see another set of sparkling golden eyes—framed by head of thick and wavy golden hair—bearing into mine.

"Bella," said Jasper. I could barely hear him as my sobs became desperate gasps for oxygen.

The grief was like a disease: it weakened my muscles and constricted my airways, making movement or breathing impossible. I felt my strength evaporating and the pressure upon my lungs increase as I continued to hyperventilate.

In the next instant, a surge of calm rippled through my veins, allowing the air to begin seeping back into my aching lungs, and the trembling spasms, which had plagued my body ever since Edward had lowered me to the floor, to stop suddenly.

"You need to listen," continued Jasper, his wintry thumbs sweeping up to my temples and performing similar soothing motions to those that Edward had used moments before. His velvety voice remained firm, but it was also, somehow, gentle in the same moment. "You are in the middle of a battle, Bella. People die in battles, and people get hurt. I understand how hard it is—I truly do—but sitting here, grieving, is not helping anyone."

Jasper had never allowed himself to be in such close proximity with me before now. I understood why he had had to keep his distance; what I didn't understand was how he had suddenly attained the impossible control he had been lacking for so long. Warm, fresh blood, after all, was still trickling from my newly acquired wound. Some of it had dried into my hair, but the wetness hadn't completely vanished.

Jasper's mouth was now undoubtedly swimming with venom, but he never faltered as he continued to stare directly into my tear-filled eyes.

"The time for that will come later. Now, you have to do as Edward has said—you have to focus, and remember that _they _are the reason behind Fred's death."

And then the calm and soothing ripple was replaced by something else—something hot and intense that seemed to burn in my blood as it pumped through my chest and limbs. My hands balled into fists as the surge reached them, and my jaw clenched as it moved upwards towards my brain.

I didn't need Jasper to tell me that he was manipulating my emotions, filling me with anger and hate for those that had killed Fred. I didn't protest; it actually felt good, and was a welcomed distraction from the pain.

"Jazz," Edward warned, tasting my mood via his brother's ability.

Jasper didn't reply—not verbally, anyway—and refused to avert his penetrating stare. Then, when he was finally satisfied with the rage he had helped to nourish, he sinuously rose to his feet and offered me his hand. I took it, and he effortlessly pulled me up.

"Your wand," said Edward, holding out my weapon for me to grasp. "You dropped it when you fell."

I took it silently, before looking into his face. I knew my own did not reflect my mood. I had a fairly good idea of what I would have seen if I'd peered into a mirror. There would have been no life in my eyes. They'd be completely and utterly dead, like Fred's. The sight was obviously distressing to Edward; he had never seen me like this before.

"Let's go," I said simply, walking towards the door of the deserted classroom.

The others followed me … and then we were running off into the thick of it once again. We ran past Percy, who was furiously battling a Death Eater. I recognised the cloaked figure as Rookwood, and trusted that Fred's death would have provided his brother with enough focus and determination that he'd be able to handle Voldemort's servant without assistance.

"We should find the others," Alice suggested, to which we all agreed.

We exited onto the Grand Staircase and began our descent. Jasper led us, and we darted down the levels and back through the corridors.

We had just rounded a corner when I caught sight of a lone Death Eater. He had been running in our direction, but changed course upon seeing us, evidently aware that the chances of survival when facing a witch and three vampires were virtually non-existent.

The rage burning in my chest exploded through my body, consuming every fibre of tissue and demanding some form of payment.

I shot a shield from my wand and projected it through the air. The Death Eater crashed head first into the barrier, which had expanded to block him. The Cullens slowed, which was when I took my chance. I launched myself forwards and repeated the spell, causing a shield to erupt between us.

Edward's reaction was immediate. He threw himself against the obstruction and began pummelling it with every ounce of his strength.

"NO, BELLA! DON'T YOU DARE! DON'T YOU DARE!"

Jasper and Alice were attacking the shield with the same desperate movements. I turned my back on all of them, and went to face the hooded man.

His head tilted to the side as he regarded me. Now that the odds were a little fairer, he showed no signs of worry whatsoever. After what seemed like hours, he finally addressed me.

"You stupid child. You really think you stand a chance against me? You have caged yourself in with death!"

And then a curse was hurtling towards me. The anger was helpful; it seemed to make my senses more acute. I barely had to think as I propelled another shield forwards. The Killing Curse reflected backwards and exploded against the castle wall.

"_Expulso_!" I screamed, aiming my wand at the ceiling above the Death Eater. He jumped just in time, and flew against the floor as the stone came crashing down behind him. I gave him no opportunity to retaliate, and threw a string of fire in his direction. He countered it with a jet of water, our spells colliding in a blast of steam.

The steam dispersed into a shroud of thick mist, making it difficult to perceive my opponent. I didn't see them until they were about three metres away, but suddenly a hundred daggers were heading straight for me. I flourished my wand, and was no longer in danger of being pierced by any of the silver blades; instead I was being bombarded by an army of tiny, shimmering bubbles.

Once the vapour cleared, I saw that a handful of students had gathered on the other side of the shield nearest the Death Eater. I recognised the faces of Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas, and Lavender Brown.

I retaliated against my opponent with the same move he had directed at me, and watched as my soaring daggers were transfigured into fluffy, white feathers. They floated around the Death Eater, some settling on his hood and robes. I smiled wickedly and flicked my wand, watching as the feathers instantly burst into flames.

They rained down and lovingly caressed his shadowy garments, as if attracted to the billowing, black fabric. And, then, the man let out a horrific, prolonged scream, thrashing under the attack of the licentious flames. His hood fell backwards in his panic, leaving his hair unprotected against the falling fire. It ignited quickly, and he dropped to the ground as a result, rolling frantically in his attempts to banish the pain.

He flashed his wand and the fire around him extinguished, before he jumped back up to his feet.

The Death Eater was about to throw another curse in my direction, but I was ready for it; I had already filled my thoughts with the image of Fred's dead smile, and that was all I needed to ensure my triumph against the disgusting enemy.

My mind flew back to memories of sixth year, and the whispered rumours of the spell which had almost resulted in the death of a student.

"SECTUMSEMPRA!" I screamed, firing the spell forwards.

I had been aiming for the man's chest, but he threw himself out of the way. An intense cry reached me, however, as he collided with the stone floor, and as my eyes travelled across his body, I realised that I hadn't missed, after all. Off to the side laid one of his hands; it had been severed completely, leaving him with nothing more than a crimson stump, rapidly leaking blood.

I was about to lift my wand and finish the job, but a voice from behind broke my concentration, and I stopped.

"Please, Bella!" the desperate voice pleaded. "Please don't!"

I brought my wand a fraction higher in preparation.

"Please!" he begged. "Don't allow yourself to become like _them_."

I faltered. And then anger overwhelmed me.

How could he deny me my chance to avenge my dead friend? How dare he! How could he ask me to let this pathetic excuse for a human being live? The man deserved to die, and I deserved the satisfaction of killing him!

The last enraged thought provoked some spark of doubt, though—some wriggling worm that weakened my resolve and left me at the edge of an incredible precipice. I knew in that moment that the next spell I performed would have the power to either reinforce the person that I was—my morals, my values, and my sense of self—or change me irrevocably.

I could feel the people on either side of the lines holding their breath as I pointed my wand at the wailing Death Eater. Mine held too as the conflict raged within me. I could feel the tears welling as the scales tipped. Finally, however, I made my decision.

"_Expelliarmus!_"

In the next second, the shields disappeared and I felt myself being swung against a wall, though two hands were pressed against my head and back to protect me from the impact.

Edward's face was a mixture of fury, relief, and awe. His lips were pulled back over his teeth slightly and his forehead touched mine.

When he spoke, his voice was trembling and his breathing erratic. "Don't you ever dare do that to me again! Do you hear me? Don't you ever!"

And I knew that I never would.

I had had one of my very best friends ripped from me within the space of a second. An experience that traumatic could very easily shape an individual for life. It certainly wouldn't have been a difficult thing to allow myself to become a murderer. If faced with the task of killing someone to protect my loved ones, I knew the decision I would make each and every time. But killing for personal satisfaction was a quality belonging to Voldemort, and certainly not one I wanted to adopt.

And it was Edward that had pulled me back. It was _him_ who always brought out the best in me, feeding every positive thought and emotion. I could fully admit now that there was surely no other reason why my Patronus was a lion.

Suddenly his lips were on mine and he was kissing me hungrily, as if his life depended on it; and despite the fact that we were stood in the middle of a crumbling castle—the threat of death lurking around the nearest corner—I could find absolutely no reason to complain.

**A/N: To those of you who wanted me to save Fred, I'm really, really sorry. I know how you feel. I loved him, too. He was one of my favourite characters, and I was devastated when he died. The reason why I stuck to JKR's plot in this case is that I don't want to do anything that would take away from her story. I'm ok with altering things that don't damage it over all, like the way Edward destroyed the Horcrux instead of the Fiendfyre doing it, but it's only stuff like that. Once again, I'm really sorry. Please review. You guys are great.**


	7. Changing Allegiance

**A/N: Thank you all ****for your reviews. It's much appreciated!**

"Could you two put that on hold for a while?" Alice said gently, though the words reflected her irritation. "We're in the middle of a war—remember?"

Edward and I reluctantly ended our kiss, untangling our limbs, all of which had somehow managed to snake around the body of the other to form a peculiar arrangement, pulling us so tightly together that we had probably resembled a singular faceless creature.

I looked down the corridor to where the Death Eater was still laid. Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas, and Lavender Brown were all hovering over him. The severity of his condition had rendered him unconscious. His stump was bleeding profusely, and if he didn't receive some attention immediately, it wouldn't matter that I hadn't resorted to the worst Unforgivable Curse.

I was about to approach, only a distraction appeared in the form of McGonagall. She was wielding her wand and sending a herd of desks charging along ahead of her. She stopped upon seeing the bleeding man, and so too did her wooden troops.

"Which one of you did this?" she questioned, her eyes zeroing in on the Death Eater's severed hand.

"I did," I admitted, stepping around Edward to face my old Transfiguration instructor. "I'm sorry, Professor. I was just so angry after Fred—"

She held up a finger to stop me.

"Please, don't jump to the wrong conclusion, Miss Swan," she said hastily, her face softening slightly. "I was merely wondering who should claim his wand."

"I'm sorry?"

"His wand, Miss Swan. You have defeated its master in combat and, therefore, its allegiance will have changed. Wands respond to power, strength, and the victorious. If you choose to claim it—which would be advisable in light of our current situation—I have no doubt that it will fully obey your every command.

"Now," she said, turning her attention back to the Death Eater, whose skin was rapidly nearing a shade of white to rival the Cullens' "we must see to this one. We can hardly leave him here to stain the halls of Hogwarts."

She pointed to one of the desks and shouted, "You, there, take this man to Madam Pomfrey! She is currently in the Grand Hall attending the injured!"

The desk galloped towards the Death Eater, who—with a flick of McGonagall's wand—floated onto it, as did his detached hand. She bound his body in tight ropes, before sending the table back in the direction she had come from.

She flicked her wand again, and the mahogany stick on the floor flew into my open hand. I closed my fingers around the wood and immediately felt a surge of warm air circulate my body.

"Good luck, you four," she finished, indicating myself and the Cullens, before turning her attention back to her unit. "Company Two, resume charge!"

And off they went, flying down the corridor towards the main entrance, the other Gryffindors running closely behind them.

I decided to test my new wand, aiming it at the puddle of blood left over from the duel. It disappeared in an instant, and from the corner of my eye, I saw Jasper's stiff posture relax infinitesimally.

"Edward," I murmured, suddenly remembering Voldemort's last Horcrux and the task we needed to complete, "what about Harry? Where is he?"

"He's on his way down the secret passage leading to the Shrieking Shack. He has the Invisibility Cloak."

"Shouldn't we go help him? If we're going to get to Nagini—"

"I don't think there's much chance of that, at the moment," he answered. "Voldemort is keeping his pet close now that he knows what Harry is doing. Don't worry, Bella; Harry isn't intending on doing anything reckless. He has Ron and Hermione with him, and he's not going to risk them getting hurt—not after …"

My stomach clenched as he trailed off.

"We should get back to the others," Jasper cut in. "We can do more good at the moment if we work together to protect the students."

Before we set off again, Edward scooped me up and placed my legs around his waist, our chests pressed tightly together so that I was looking over his shoulder. He obviously wasn't going to allow me another opportunity to give a repeat performance of my light show with the Death Eater; but the fact that I now had two wands to wield meant that carrying me on his back would be impossible. I would have insisted on using only one until my feet were firmly back on solid ground, but I knew I'd be able to do more good with two; besides, having my legs wrapped around Edward this way was a far more interesting position.

"Definitely not the time, Bella!" Jasper shouted, recommencing the sprint.

Edward chuckled silently and my face flooded with heat. I vented my frustration on the numerous enemies we passed, accurately tossing Stunning Spells and Body-binding Curses this way and that.

At one point, we flew at a bunch of Death Eater's about to finish off two Ravenclaw students. Alice and Jasper smashed into them, and they fell like bowling pins, immediately rendered unconscious by the intensity of the collision. One had avoided the hit, however, and raised his wand in the air, about to bring it down upon the students.

I yelled my spell and pointed my wand at stained shards scattered beneath the now glassless windows, watching as they flew—a thousand deadly projectiles—towards the Death Eater. He heard me shout and turned to defend himself, transforming the glass into flying daisies. Though I failed to hit the man, the distraction was enough to help the pupils. They both simultaneously raised their wands as the Death Eater turned his back on them and cried out '_Stupefy_', causing their enemy to crash against the nearest wall.

Then I felt my body spin and heard, "Duck!"

I pressed my head into Edward's chest and clutched my hands to his shirt. Through the slits of my eyes, I saw that the back of his head was enveloped in a halo of green light, and in the next second, two massive primitive roars echoed through the corridor. Then everything spun again in a dizzying flash of colour, and we were shooting back towards the clock tower, leaving behind three cloaked figures crumpled on the ground.

Finally, we reached the others. They were situated half way down the hall, and had been joined by Luna and Ernie Macmillan.

"You've been missing all the fun!" Emmett shouted, hearing our approach. He had his great, bulky arms wrapped around a hairy acromantula. Evidently the vampires had done a good job, for there were very few now heading towards us.

"I was sure you would have had these all taken care of by now!" Alice said, extremely peeved at her lack of vision.

"It's not my fault!" her brother responded. "Apparently, these things get their freak on every god-damn day!"

With the return of Edward, Jasper, and Alice, the Cullens had the rest of the arachnids out of the picture within less than a minute, leaving the corridor empty of foes. I was about to ask the others what they thought we should do next, but Edward released a snarl and moved into a hunting position.

"What's the matter?" asked Ernie.

"More are on their way!"

"You've gotta be kidding me!" I yelled, thoroughly pissed. "How many could there po—"

"Not spiders!" he shouted. "Wizards!"

And then lightning burst towards us, the vampires forming a tight shield in response.

"Aim for their legs!" a voice cried, and I immediately saw something low streaking towards us.

Rosalie jumped forwards, breaking rank, and swung her foot backwards as if preparing to kick a football. She brought it down and there was a mighty crack, before the light shot backwards in the opposite direction, crashing into the ceiling and causing part of it to collapse.

At least three of the Death Eaters were crushed beneath the rubble, not one of them emerging in the ensuing seconds. The explosion forced a rush of dusty air in our direction. As soon as it touched my face, I heard Edward and Jasper growl.

"Put up your shield, Bella! Do it now!" Edward called.

"Why? Wha—"

"They're werewolves!"

This didn't explain why I was suddenly being asked to cut myself off from the fight.

"Werewolves we're actually allowed to hurt!" Emmett explained.

Ah.

I projected a shield outwards, watching as it expanded to fill the corridor. Angelina and Wood did the same, so that there were now three standing between both us and the Cullens, giving us triple protection.

"Finally!" Emmett laughed, charging off towards the robed figures.

Katie shook her head. "I don't understand."

Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie and Alice were each wearing focused expressions; the three boys, on the other hand, looked like a bunch of kids that had just been given free rein in Honeydukes: Jasper and Edward were sneering in satisfaction, whilst Emmett cackled manically.

"They've … um … been waiting a while for this," I said. My comment didn't particularly enlighten any of my friends.

The entire fight lasted little more than three minutes; in that time, I witnessed a gruesome scene. The doomed men pointed their wands in panic over and over, achieving no results as the light bounced of the bodies of the vampires, all of whom moved fluidly as they crushed and battered our enemy, each being careful to spill as little blood as possible.

Finally, the last one fell, his face purple after having Jasper's cold strong hands wrapped around his throat. From where I stood, I could clearly see the finger-shaped bruises left behind. The Cullens headed back in our direction as we lowered our shields.

"I think I finally understand why the wrackspurts keep a safe distance," Luna smiled dreamily. "I may adopt a family of vampires too, Bella."

Emmett shook with laughter; he had evidently taken a great liking to Luna. Edward cocked his head and looked at her, an extremely confused expression plastered across his face. I suspected that he was trying to make sense of her thoughts, and obviously having no luck.

"Now what?" asked Katie, glancing up and down the corridor.

"Maybe we should go join the others," Ernie said, clearly a little uncomfortable with the idea of being in the vicinity of seven deadly vampires, especially after discovering their capabilities first-hand.

"That would leave this entrance completely exposed," Wood contradicted. "I think we should separate. It doesn't need all of us to defend the area."

"We should help Harry," I whispered at a level that neither I, nor the other humans, could hear. I knew the Cullens would detect the sound easily. "He may not be able to reach the Horcrux without assis—"

"You have fought," said a high, cold voice, the sound reverberating through the air, instilling instant fear and demanding my attention, "valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery.

"Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste.

"Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat, immediately.

"You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured.

"I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you." Everyone tensed, even more so. "You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour."

The speech ended, yet our group remained silent. Slowly but surely, the faces of the vampires became feral and terrifying, their lips, pulling back to reveal lethal, glistening teeth, making them appear all the more frightening.

Finally, Esme growled. "Pure evil! The devil incarnate!"

The rest of us nodded in response.

"We should go and find the others," said Wood. "They'll need help … with the bodies."

And then we left for the Great Hall, terrified of what we would see when we arrived there. The humans walked out in front, myself and the Cullens trailing closely behind.

"I want you to keep an eye on Harry," I said to Edward. "If I've learnt anything of his character in the last seven years, it's that he tends to play the hero. He's not always had a choice in the matter, but it's in his nature to act bravely, sometimes to the point of stupidity."

Edward raised an eyebrow at my words. I didn't know what to make of his expression. Whatever it meant, he didn't explain; instead, he responded to my request. "I've been keeping tabs on him ever since we separated—I can assure you of that."

"Are there any new developments?" Jasper enquired.

"Actually … there are."

He stopped in the middle of the corridor, waiting until those ahead of us had rounded the next corner and were out of earshot. Then, he turned the full force of his eyes on me.

"Snape is dead."

"What?!" I gasped.

"Voldemort killed him."

Now it was the others' turn to splutter disbelievingly.

"But that makes no sense!" Carlisle blurted. "Snape was his ally, wasn't he?"

Edward took a moment, seeming to think his answer through.

"This is all very difficult to explain," he continued, "because I don't truly understand it myself … Voldemort killed Snape for a wand."

"He already has a wand," I said, utterly baffled by this point.

"Yes, he does … but he wanted one that was more powerful, one that is—as legend says—unbeatable."

I felt my brow furrow with suspicion. "Are you talking about the Death Stick?"

"Death Stick?" echoed Rosalie.

"Professor Binns mentioned it in History of Magic a few times. He said that the wand left a bloody trail through history, and that people were often killed during their sleep when they were rumoured to possess it … but, I mean, it was just a myth! It's not real!"

"I think it is," Edward argued, the crease returning to the space between his eyes. "As I was watching the scene in the Shrieking Shack, Voldemort told Snape that after both his wand and his servant's failed to kill Harry, he sought a more powerful wand. He applied a few names whilst discussing it, one of which was the one you just mentioned, Bella."

"But it isn't real."

"It is!" Edward insisted. "It is real. After he discovered that he couldn't defeat Harry, no matter which wand he took, he started looking for the one that was said to be unbeatable! And he found it. He found it, Bella … because it was right here waiting for him."

"I don't understand," I admitted.

"Before he died, Dumbledore was the master of the unbeatable wand. It was lying in his grave with him the whole time! And Voldemort took it, expecting it to work for him."

Then he took my hand in which I clutched the mahogany wand, and held it up for everyone to see.

"Don't you understand, Bella? Don't you remember what your Professor tol—"

"Wands respond to strength … to the victorious," I whispered. All the little pieces were suddenly beginning to fit together.

Edward nodded. "Which means that the true master of the unbeatable wand was the same man who killed Dumbledore."

"Snape," murmured Jasper, his eyes glassy as he considered the implications of Edward's revelation.

Edward nodded again.

"What do we do?" Rosalie asked frantically. "If he now has an unbeatable wand, on top of the last Horcrux, how do we kill him? If what you're saying is true, he's as indestructible as we are now!"

"I don't think so," Edward announced, his head shaking quickly from side to side. "The only thing tying him to life now is the Horcrux. His wand may be the most powerful one in existence, but that applies specifically to wand to wand combat."

"What are you trying to get at, Edward?" Carlisle asked.

"What I'm trying to say," he emphasised, "is the fact that we are still vampires, and no matter how incredible the unbeatable wand performs against wizards, our skin will probably still reflect its attacks."

"What's the plan?" Alice demanded immediately, seeming to understand where Edward was going with this.

"I say we go back to the Great Hall and wait until the hour is up. He said he'd be entering the castle to fight. When that happens, he'll no longer be able to rely on protection from his Death Eaters—they'll have their own lives to worry about.

"When Voldemort enters the battle, I say the seven of us take the wand by force, and then go after the snake. If no other wand Voldemort uses has the power to defeat Harry's, then hopefully the loss of the Death Stick and the final Horcrux will give Harry the shot he needs."

Edward's plan was nothing short of insane. It horrified me that he was even considering it. My heart began pumping so quickly that I was surely in danger of cardiac arrest.

I expected the others to protest and tell Edward he was a lunatic … but they didn't, leaving me terrified as I saw agreement and determination flash through seven pairs of sparkling golden eyes.


	8. Gathering

**A/N: Here's the next chapter. It's a break from the action. Feel free to review. I hope you're all well.**

"You can't be serious!" I shouted, my eyes wide as I stared at the vampires in disbelief. "Have you lost you minds? You're talking about taking on the darkest and most dangerous wizard of all time! This is absolutely insane! I've never heard anything so ridiculous!"

"You said it yourself, Bella," Alice said dismissively. "Our skin is impenetrable to magical attack—"

"With regular wands! If Voldemort truly does have the Death Stick, how do you know that it won't be powerful enough to hurt _you, _too?"

"We don't," Edward answered, refusing to accept my protests, "but who else is there that will be strong enough or fast enough to take it from him? He may be powerful, Bella, but he's still just one man. Even if he is immortal until his Horcrux is destroyed, are you really telling me that you believe he'll be able to hold onto the wand with seven vampires aiming to take it from him?"

Edward had a point; I couldn't really deny that.

"I hate the thought of any of you going up against him." Tears formed at the corners of my eyes. I tried to blink them back, but my trembling voice had already alerted Edward.

He took the mahogany wand from my left hand in order to replace it with his own, and I squeezed his fingers with all my strength as they locked together with mine. He stopped and held me back, indicating for his family to rejoin the others.

"We'll be there in a minute," he told them, his eyes never leaving my face.

They departed without a word, understanding our present need for privacy. The second they were gone, Edward pressed my body to his, wrapping my arms securely around his neck and swinging my legs up to circle his waist.

Then his marble lips were against my soft ones, which moulded themselves around his as our kiss unfolded. It was nothing like our usual kisses—not careful or hesitant, as to prevent inflicting injury upon the fragile, little human—but was filled with an incredible sense of urgency, a desperate need, on both our parts, to communicate every gram of desire and love we felt for one another.

When the kiss finally ended, I held my face against Edward's, cooling my burning cheeks against his perfect, icy skin. He traced soothing patterns up and down my spine, whilst I concentrated on returning my pulse to its usual rhythm.

"Please don't do anything reckless when the fight starts again," he said finally. "There will always been one of us there to protect you, but promise me you'll do everything you can to keep yourself safe."

As I looked into Edward's eyes, I realised they were swimming with intense desperation and unshakable fear. The only thing I could compare it with was what I had seen just before he had left me to go and hunt James; but even those emotions were watery in comparison.

He was battling an unfamiliar enemy, one who, despite everything, had evaded death time and again. If it had been a vampire the Cullens were putting themselves up against, I'm sure Edward would have been exuding absolute confidence in their ability to protect me; but they weren't, and no matter how strong or agile each member of his family happened to be, we both knew that this was a completely different breed of monster.

"I promise," I said, in reply to his demand, "but you have to do the same. You have to keep safe, too."

"I will."

And then he kissed me one last time, before we headed off again in the direction of the others. I stumbled on quite a few occasions as we made our way to the Great Hall; it was only to be expected, of course, with the constant obstructions of fallen stone and splintered wood lining the floor, but I couldn't argue that I'd been watching my steps carefully.

I was determined not to take my eyes from Edward's face, trailing my eyes, once again, along the ridge of nose, and over his pale, full lips, though I was fully convinced that I already knew every shade and angle by heart; after all, when we were together, in less stressful situations, I never stopped looking at him.

We had just reached the Grand Staircase when I caught some unknown emotion flash across his eyes. For the very briefest moment, his body went completely rigid.

"What's wrong?" I asked immediately.

His eyes found mine, and he blinked rapidly, as if returning from some kind of daydream. "It's nothing."

I was about to protest, but then I caught sight of Angelina and Katie a little further off. They were carrying the limp body of a female Ravenclaw student; she was petite and had beautiful, thick red curls. Her skin was dotted in places with freckles, and her eyes were a wonderful sapphire blue. And then I felt a sickness overtake me as I realise that they were dead. They looked up blindly as Fred's had, completely devoid of life.

Edward gripped my hand in his as I suppressed the rising lump in my throat, along with the massive urge to go to pieces. I knew that that would come later, but if I started now, there was a good chance I wouldn't be able to stop in time for the battle. When I finally did allow the grief to wash over me, I wanted to deal with it without interruption. It would be easier that way.

"Here, let me," Edward said, approaching my friends to relieve them of the girl. "Why don't you join the others? You should rest."

Angelina and Katie didn't take much convincing. They were tough enough that they could have carried on without succumbing to physical fatigue, but the task of having to look upon the dead was leaving them mentally and emotionally drained.

Katie closed the girl's eyes before thanking Edward and leaving with Angelina. I walked beside Edward as we made our way after them.

On our way, we passed Neville and Wood. They were sharing the weight of a Hufflepuff student. This time it was a male; he was tall and lean, and had a head of thick black hair.

I looked away quickly, not strong enough to handle the sight, and walked through the large open doors of the Great Hall.

Madam Pomfrey was located at the front on the raised platform, her attention devoted entirely to the injured. Carlisle was with her, though his skills were not particularly helpful in the current situation, especially when he had no tools to treat the many individuals. He seemed to resign himself to comforting those in pain, offering small gestures, like holding their hands.

In the middle of the hall was a long line of bodies. They looked peaceful, and could have been mistaken for sleepers, for only a few had had their features marked by ugly wounds and gashes. I suppose that that was the one and only comfort of _Avada Kedavra_—there was no prolonged suffering; the effects were instant.

My eyes flew to the Weasleys gathered around Fred's body. I could only stand to look at them for a second, before I had to turn away. I couldn't bear to watch George as he crouched over the head of his lifeless twin. His face was overflowing with grief and despair, raw from the endless tears cascading down his freckled skin. This would be the hardest on him; he had lost a half of himself to the Death Eaters.

"Come away, Bella," Edward whispered, one hand on the small of my back, the other weaving our fingers together, as he pulled me in the direction of Esme and Rosalie.

They were stood with their backs to the wall, attempting to comfort one another.

"Bella," Esme said as we reached them, pulling me away from her son into a loving, motherly embrace.

I allowed a single tear to escape my eyes as I stood with my face pressed against her neck. She untangled one of her hands and used it to stroke the full length of my hair. Finally, she released me back to Edward, and despite the fact that her frozen vampiric body allowed her no tears of her own, I could see, as her focus swept the growing line of the eternal sleepers, that she was allowing the grief of our collective loss to overtake her. It was written along her brow, it was swimming in her eyes, and it was audible in her hitched and rapid breathing. Naturally, someone as loving and passionate as Esme would suffer in such a situation, even though the dead were strangers to her.

"So young," Rosalie whispered. "So much promise."

I nodded.

Though her expression remained stiff, her eyes suddenly filled with a ferocious hate. My instincts told me to look away, but I fought them off, determined to meet her gaze. "Don't worry, Bella," she continued, "we'll ensure that it wasn't for nothing."

And then my hand was in hers, and she was squeezing it tightly.

After my flight to Volterra and Rosalie's disclosure of the details of her transformation, our relationship had improved a little. I knew that she was personally offended by my decision to become a permanent member of the Cullen family, believing as she did that I was foolishly abandoning my precious mortality, and she would never fully like me because of it. I don't think that that was something that I would ever be able to change. Yes, she might learn to accept me; in part, I think she already had, but there would always be that unavoidable resentment that she would never be able to get passed.

It made her kind and tender gesture all the more meaningful, and I was truly grateful to have her with me at Hogwarts, in what could very well be the final battle against Voldemort and the Death Eaters.

I smiled at her appreciatively, and squeezed her hand in return. Then she released me and addressed the other two.

"I'm going to go help the others," she said, before leaving the hall in a blur of gold and white.

"What are the others doing?" I asked, my eyes flicking upwards so that I could look at Edward. He had a very far off look about him, his brow furrowing infinitesimally above his vacant eyes.

"It was too much for Jasper, so they went to help gather the dead," he said absently, provoking a sharp stab in the pit of my stomach. I jerked suddenly, rousing Edward from his seeming trance.

He looked at me for a long moment, caressing my cheek with his finger tips as he did so. They moved downwards, and spent a minute stroking along my lower lip, before he finally spoke.

"Why didn't you tell me, Bella?" His eyes sparked with pain.

I had to say something; I couldn't allow him to believe that I didn't trust him. I could tell that that possibility was saturating his mind, and it hurt him.

"There were too many external factors," I explained quietly, hoping he would be able to accept my reasoning. "First, I wanted to get to know you and your family before I revealed my secret. It's not just mine, after all—there's an entire world of people like me."

I waved my hand slowly, indicating the wizards and witches occupying the hall. Edward nodded in understanding.

"But then James happened, which delayed things a little. And, then, as I was working my way up to telling you … you were gone."

His posture stiffened for a second, and I knew he was experiencing another horrible wave of guilt and regret. I felt bad for bringing it up, but he'd wanted an explanation.

"I would have admitted everything as soon as I realised that you were going to stay with me, but I had Aro to worry about … and I was frightened that he'd want me so much more if he knew what I was capable of. Plus, I didn't want to be responsible for some kind of wizard-manhunt.

"I'm so sorry, Edward. I can't imagine how disappointed you are with me."

His hand was suddenly tucked under my chin, pulling it upwards and preventing me from looking away.

"Bella, there's nothing wrong with trying to shield yourself and friends. I _know_ that you would have told me if you could have. And I understand that you couldn't just blurt out your secret the second we met. If there's anyone who can appreciate the importance of anonymity, it's my family and I. I'm just sorry I had to wait so long to finally see the real you."

"You're not disappointed," I asked, "now that you know I'm not as fragile as you thought?"

Despite everything, his lips curved upwards a tiny fraction at the corners. "Oh, I wouldn't go as far to say that you weren't fragile. You're still human, after all, and I'm still a vampire. But seeing the lengths you'd go to to defend your friends—the way you have done tonight—well, you can understand, surely, why that would make me as proud as I am to have you?"

The relief was instantaneous and absolute; it was like taking a breath after being plunged beneath a watery surface for far too long.

I crushed my face back into Edward's chest and allowed him to snake his arms around my back again. We stayed like that for a while, and I was content in the knowledge that if I were to die in the next few hours, I wouldn't have spent the time before my last battle wanting to do anything but that.

That last thought triggered a kind of spark in my head, and I felt something niggling away at my brain, though I couldn't quite work out exactly what it was. And then it ignited into life, and I was suddenly furious with myself.

I had forgotten to inform Edward of what I had witnessed during the Dementor attack! I should have been spending the hour telling him about his soul—of how, despite its tiny size, it shone brilliantly like a miniature star, instead of wasting time discussing myself.

If I died in the immediate future, he would never know the truth.

"Edward," I said urgently, "there's something I—"

"Bella," he interrupted, his posture suddenly going rigid. I looked up, and saw that his eyes were as wide as saucers, his mouth hanging open slightly and forming a small 'o'. "I have to go."

"What? What are you—"

"I'm needed. The others need me to help with the bodies. Here—" he said, placing the mahogany wand back in my free hand. "I'll be back soon. Stay with Esme."

And then, before I had a chance to protest, Edward was moving away from me, just as Rosalie had—an indistinct blur of snowy skin and shinning bronze hair.


	9. The Blinding Highlights

**A/N: Hello! I'm finally back from Egypt. I know I was supposed to post yesterday but I got the date wrong. **

**Anyways … story. I'm not usually one for lots of perspective shifts; I don't mind them, but I generally prefer sticking to one. I couldn't think of any way to avoid it here though. At this point, Edward's experience is just as important as Bella's, if not more, so I'm breaking with tradition and switching. I hope you don't mind. **

**Thanks, guys. Please review!**

**EPOV**

My feet barely touched the ground as I flew from Bella's side and out of the Great Hall. Being away from her was almost painful, especially at a time like this, but there was no way that I could stand by and allow this to transpire. It simply couldn't happen; I wouldn't let it!

I ran through the doors and into the paved courtyard, where I darted behind an undamaged stone pillar, concealing myself from view as I waited. There were a couple of humans nearby that I recognised: one was Oliver Wood, who had fought beside my family and I in the Clock Tower; the other was Neville Longbottom, the boy who had so willingly accepted us, despite our differences.

As I stood there in those following minutes, I cast my mind back over everything that had happened since we had all heard the plate crash to the floor in the middle of the kitchen. I felt like I'd been thrown into some kind of maelstrom: everything had been turned upside down—all my careful reasoning, our lives … reality itself.

I was ashamed to say that initially I had thought that Bella had lost her mind; in fact, it even occurred to me that perhaps she had never fully been right in all the time that I'd known her—it would certainly have explained why she was so comfortable with the idea of being in such close proximity with a family of creatures whose primary instincts told them to eat her.

And then, of course, she was dazzling us all with her undeniable magic and, in no time at all, here we were, preparing for battle alongside an entire school of individuals, all of whom seemed to receive us with similar ease and fascination. I could barely get my head around the idea.

I had thought that nothing would surprise me after that. Naturally, I was wrong; it seemed to be a recurring thing recently, though it was certainly not something I was used to. I was used to being right.

My mind-reading abilities meant that I was very rarely shocked or caught off guard. Bella—with her private and impenetrable mind—had, understandably, had the power to change that.

Before her, I had been used to the generic petty thoughts and selfishness of the typical human mind. It wasn't a very common occurrence that I discovered a genuine individual; people often concealed their nasty and resentful musings behind a kind and friendly façade.

There were a few exceptions, of course, like Angela Webber. But until today, my opinion of the human race had been fairly pessimistic. My experiences had led me to develop very little confidence in the mortals populating the planet, and I had believed that any positive qualities were limited to a very select few—the human anomalies.

Now, on the other hand, everything I had initially believed had been shattered in an instant, and all it had taken were a few simple words, fuelled by fear and self-interest. And all those qualities, which I had considered alien to most, had erupted with full force, exploding like fire through the Great Hall.

The others had seen it, and Jasper had felt it … but I had heard it. In the immediate seconds following Pansy Parkinson's outburst, I had witnessed human nature at its very best. The room had been bursting with unstoppable courage and the absolute desire to protect. There had been no reluctance detectable in their thoughts; instead they had been filled with sheer determination.

Neville, especially, had demonstrated such. His mind was possibly one of the purest I had ever encountered, and was brimming with the longing to do good—to reject Voldemort and his Pure Blood creed until the very end.

And then, of course, there was Snape. I had heard the stories from Bella. She had told us all of his betrayal of Dumbledore, and his loyalty to Voldemort, and every mind that had been set against that abomination had all confirmed the stories of the Hogwarts Headmaster.

But he'd fooled them. He'd deceived every last one of them, and as I'd stood in the Great Hall with Bella, seeing Snape's memories through Harry's eyes, I finally understood why he had had to become an accomplished Occlumens. He'd been one of them—a Death Eater—yet had managed to return from the very darkest place imaginable, simply out of love. And he had willingly done it all without acknowledgement from those around him, earning himself the reputation of a backstabbing, evil and cowardly murderer, when in fact he'd been the opposite—a hero.

The world obviously wasn't as grey as I'd led myself to believe. I thought about it as I heard Harry arrive beneath his invisibility cloak, the sound of his thudding heart audible to my ears. He watched Oliver telling Neville that he could handle the weight of the small, dead boy without help. He recognised the boy as Colin Creevy.

Then, when Wood was out of sight and earshot, Harry addressed Neville, who almost jumped out of his skin in response. Harry pulled off the Invisibility Cloak to make the coming conversation easier for his friend.

"Where are you going alone?" Neville asked suspiciously. _He'd better not be thinking of giving in to Voldemort!_

"It's all part of the plan," said Harry. "There's something I've got to do. Listen—Neville—"

"Harry!" Neville looked suddenly scared. "Harry, you're not thinking of handing yourself over?"

_Yes_. "No," Harry lied easily. "'Course not … this is something else. But I might be out of sight for a while. You know Voldemort's snake, Neville? He's got a huge snake … calls it Nagini …"

"I've heard, yeah … What about it?"

"It's got to be killed. Ron and Hermione know that, but just in case they—"

Harry's mind flew over the terrible possibility that his two best friends would not survive the approaching battle. It was almost impossible for him to continue, but he knew he had a job to complete, and he needed back-ups who would devote themselves to destroying the Horcrux.

_Bella and Edward know: Edward destroyed the goblet—he's set on bringing Voldemort down, too. Still, Neville is as committed to this as much as I am. It wouldn't hurt to tell him. He's definitely trustworthy._

I felt a swell of appreciation for Harry; he recognised good people like Neville, and on top of that he had demonstrated confidence in me—the stranger Vampire.

"Just in case they're—busy—and you get the chance—"

"Kill the snake?"

"Kill the snake," Harry repeated.

"Alright, Harry. You're OK, are you?"

"I'm fine. Thanks, Neville."

Neville seized his wrist just as Harry made to move on.

"We're all going to keep fighting, Harry," stated Neville. "You know that?" _We're not going to give into scum like Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange!_

"Yeah, I—" Harry broke off, the suffocating feeling extinguishing the end of his sentence.

It didn't seem to matter though; Neville patted Harry on the shoulder, mistakenly assuming that his sudden inability to speak was a result of gratitude, when in actuality it was guilt which caused it. The way Harry saw it, too many people had died to save him … too many people had given their lives to protect him from Voldemort. He couldn't allow it anymore. It was his turn to face death, and if doing so meant the world was one step closer to freedom, it would be worth it.

As Neville left to go and search for more bodies, Harry continued on his walk towards the Forbidden Forest. I followed silently after him, ensuring that I was well enough concealed, whilst searching through the minds of the students to discover whether or not there were anymore between us and the forest.

I sensed two females up ahead, recognising one of them as Fred's sister, Ginny. She was comforting an injured girl who was crying for her mother.

_I don't want to do it anymore. I don't want to fight. I want to go home. I want to go home to Mum. I don't want to fight anymore. It's too big. Too much, _the girl thought.

Ginny had just lost a family member, and already she was out reassuring others? There it was again—the selflessness—the proof that the world was not a bleary painting comprising solely of murky greys. When Bella had flashed into my life, she had burnt brightly against the dulling obscurity, like a beacon in a thick mist. For the very first time, I had found a truly brilliant highlight.

_My_ brilliant highlight.

Now I realised they were everywhere, prominent and dazzling against the dull greys and the deep shadows.

Harry remained invisible as we neared and passed the girls, all the while wishing that time would allow him an opportunity to hold Ginny. Even if there had been more of it, though, he wouldn't have used it, because otherwise he would have never found the strength to let go.

Finally, the minds of the Hogwarts residents were behind us, and the only others now were situated somewhere within the Forbidden Forest. Harry was approaching a wooden hut, and I used this as my opportunity, sneaking up around the back and cutting him off.

He stopped for a second, surprised at seeing me separated from my family, but then Bella's revelation came back to him.

"How long have you been listening?" he asked, pulling off his cloak.

"Ever since we were separated," I answered calmly, understanding his question. "I saw all of Snape's memories ... He was a very brave man."

"The bravest," Harry nodded, his eyes swimming suddenly with both respect and gratitude for the secret hero.

Then, for a moment, neither of us spoke. Harry suspected my reason for following him; in part, he hoped that his suspicions were correct, and that I'd tug him, against his will, back to the castle—back to place where he would be surrounded by friends and loved ones.

_Why are you here, Edward?_ he finally asked via his mind.

"You know why," I said sternly, noting the way his heart rate increased and his jaw clenched. I didn't need to read his mind to know that he was conflicted. For the briefest second, his eyes shot in the direction of the castle, before darting away again and settling on the ancient trees at the edge of the forest.

_You know you have to let me go._

"Like hell I do!" I growled angrily. "I refuse to allow you to sacrifice yourself to that bastard! We'll find a way to kill him."

_How?_ he asked, sadness seeping into his bright green irises, the sides of his mouth twitching to form a cheerless and knowing smile.

"We'll find a way. There's has to be something—something we can do to—"

"Edward," he interrupted, raising a hand to silence me. "Other than Nagini, I am his final Horcrux. You know that—you heard it."

"I did, but—"

"But nothing. As long as I live, Voldemort will live too. Even with the death of his snake, nothing you could do would be enough to kill him, because the last fragment of his soul—the piece that latched itself onto me—will always be there holding him to life."

"Maybe we won't be able to kill him," I said desperately, "but we could find a way to imprison him or something! We could—"

"It has to end!" Harry shouted, anger filling his voice this time. "Look at what he's done … what he'll continue to do! He has to die, and if that means that I have to as well, then so be it. Hundreds of people have given their lives to help bring him down. If I don't go to him now and allow him to kill me, their deaths will have been for nothing."

"Harry, please," I whispered.

The sad smile returned to his face as his eyes locked with mine.

_What about Bella, Edward? _Harry thought, opting for a different approach._ Bella is a Muggle-born. How do you think it will be for her when Voldemort takes full control?_

"He'll not be able to touch her—he'll not know where she is. We'll be back in Washington and—"

"And who's to say that he won't become more ambitious after he's taken Britain? Who's to say he won't want to extend his control and his doctrines further? He is immortal, after all—it's not like he's short on time.

"And even if he did stick to home, why should people like Bella have to run away, simply to ensure their safety? What about the people that don't get that far? What about the people that are caught and sent to Azkaban?"

He showed me a memory then: it was one depicting an experience with a 'Dementor', as he called it, and explaining how it felt when it began feeding off a person's despair. I didn't need his mental portrayal—I could remember all too clearly what it felt like to be in close proximity to those demons. I had tried to fight them off when they encountered me during the battle. I had fought with every ounce of strength in those first few seconds, but an overwhelming tidal wave of loneliness, guilt, and grief had suddenly rendered me powerless, and I found that—despite my incredible strength—I could not fight them. I had relived the worst and darkest moments of my existence, hearing the echoing screams of countless terrified victims, all of which became desperate throaty gurgles as I sliced my venomous teeth into the soft, welcoming flesh of their throats. And, then, the weight of it all seemed to lift abruptly, and I could finally breathe again. I could see Bella's face and, despite the freshness of the resurrected past, I suddenly felt warmth wrap around my long dead heart.

The experience was a little hazy, somehow, and I still wasn't entirely sure what could have happened to force the Dementors to flee. I suspected that Bella had had something to do with their sudden disappearance. I would have to remember to ask her about it.

_Would you wish that on anyone else?_

"Of course I wouldn't," I whispered, appalled at the idea of any individual having to undergo that level of torment. "What monster would?"

"He would," said Harry, simply. "Voldemort would. It's already happening. People like Bella—Muggle-borns—are being forced to surrender themselves to the Ministry for registration. Then they're thrown into Azkaban, where they suffer at the hands of the Dementors."

I couldn't suppress the shudder that vibrated down the full length of my spine in the ensuing seconds. Harry saw it, and he pressed on, sensing victory.

"There will be people in that place right now—innocent people—that will be to others what Bella is to you. Are you going to let them do it, Edward?" he asked, more serious than ever. "Are you going to let them win?"

I held my breath for a moment, desperately wishing that the sinking feeling in my gut would disappear. This could _not_ be the answer.

"What will I say ... what will I tell them," I struggled, feeling my resolve slipping increasingly with each passing moment, "when they ask me why I stood by and let you—the one they fought so hard to protect—to walk away from me, into the forest to die?"

Harry gave a very kind smile, then, as he delivered his immediate answer.

_Tell them I said it was for the greater good._

He held out his palm, waiting for me to extend my own. I did, and he squeezed it tightly as we shook.

_Make sure you kill the snake._

I nodded.

_And then rip his god-damn head off._

In the next second, Harry threw his invisibility cloak back over his head, and was turning and walking away from me, towards the forest. I saw his steps through his mind, and heard the crunching of twigs and the rustling of grasses as he made them.

Just before he reached the edge of the trees, something occurred to him. He remembered something about a Snitch in the pouch at his neck. His nerveless fingers fumbled with it for a moment, and then he managed to successfully extract a little, golden ball.

He hesitated, at first, simply looking at the thing. His thoughts were a little too disjointed to make sense of. I caught something about a Will, and resurrection … and opening at the close; but my knowledge was too limited, and the only part that immediately made sense was the last thought, as Harry lifted the Snitch to his lips and whispered, "I am about to die."

The gold casing cracked open to reveal a small onyx stone engraved with a strange design that I did not recognise. That wasn't so surprising now; apparently I was ignorant of many things.

Before I knew what was happening, four bodies had appeared beside Harry's. I saw them through his eyes. I recognised one of them as the werewolf, Remus Lupin. He stood amongst two other males and a female. There was something extremely abnormal about their substance. In truth, it couldn't be said that any one of them was completely solid; on the other hand, they bore no resemblance to the ghosts that I had seen in the Great Hall. They weren't transparent, yet neither were they really there.

I searched for their minds, in the hopes that doing so would help me to piece together the mystery, but it was useless. I certainly sensed something, but it was the equivalent of trying to distinguish a person's words as they travelled through a thick expanse of undulating water: the thoughts were too faint and blurred to decipher.

It hit me suddenly that I could only detect one heartbeat in the nearby area, which was Harry's. I was utterly stumped. Nothing made any sense whatsoever. The four newcomers were there, yet they weren't. Then the woman spoke.

"You've been so brave."

_She's looking at me. My mum … like she did in the Mirror … like I always imagined. Only this is real. She's here. Finally._

"You're nearly there," said the man bearing a striking resemblance to Harry. This was surely James Potter. "Very close. We are … so proud of you."

But Lily and James Potter were dead. Bella had told me and my family their story. This couldn't be happening; they were dead. Then, again, so was Sir Nicholas, yet he still somehow managed to float about the castle. But he was ectoplasm: a mere imprint—like the lingering smell of a meal after the table has been cleared.

This was something else. Something beyond impossible.

"Does it hurt?" Harry asked.

"Dying? Not at all," said the unknown man. "Quicker and easier than falling asleep.

It was true, then: the small group surrounding Harry were not of the living—they belonged in the afterlife. Harry stroked the 'Resurrection Stone' nestled between his fingers as he expressed his sadness and regret with his old Professor.

It felt shameful to be eavesdropping on this conversation, especially when it was so incredibly personal, but I couldn't bring myself to leave Harry's mind. I was determined to stick with him until the very end: if at any moment he altered his decision, I would know to go after him. Of course, there was also a less noble reason, and I felt completely disgusted with myself because of it.

The afterlife had always been a delicate topic for me, which was mainly due to the fact that I didn't believe that Heaven was possible for my kind. We were soulless, after all—monsters that dreamed of blood and killing. If any gate in the next life was open to us, I was positive which one it would be. Still, I was hungry for the answers to my questions, no matter how insignificant. I was not prepared, therefore, to allow the resurrected from my sight.

It was when Lily and James began walking beside their son as he headed to meet death that I realised there was no other choice but to permit it all to unfold. If a mother, who had willingly given her own life to save her only child, did not protest as she guided him down the path to fulfil his final destiny, there could be no denying that this, however unfair and horrible, was the right thing: it was for the greater good. How ironic. I felt absolutely sick, nonetheless, and my fingers crushed into the bark of one the trees as I rested my forehead against the wood. I punched it suddenly and it snapped as easily as a matchstick, the tree tumbling swiftly to the ground as a consequence.

Lily smiled lovingly as the crowd made their way through the forest. Her eyes lingered on her son as his did on her, and the sight filled him with courage and pushed him forwards. It was his parents' obvious pride that dispelled my shame. If his death truly was an inevitability, I wanted to watch it; not to do so would have been dishonouring him. Harry was a martyr, one who was sacrificing himself for the lives of others. The story of his courage and altruism was one which deserved to be spread amongst those opposing Voldemort. I promised myself then that I would ensure that it did.

And so I watched and listened as Harry passed the Death Eaters beneath his invisibility cloak, unbeknownst to them. I watched as he followed them deeper into the shadows of the forest. I watched as he arrived in the clearing where Voldemort and his followers were assembled, and heard him announce his presence. The Resurrection Stone slipped from his fingers, and his family disappeared from both his and my sight, returned, no doubt, to the place reserved for good souls.

I stood frozen as I reached the castle doors. If my heart had been capable of beating it would have surely punched a hole in my ribcage by now.

"Harry Potter," said the snake-like man in an exceedingly soft voice. "The boy who lived."

For one miniscule moment, I was overwhelmed by curiosity and an intense impulse. I flitted to Voldemort's mind for a fraction of a second, before immediately returning to Harry's; the one moment had been enough, though. Behind the satisfaction, the anticipation, and the desire which Voldemort exuded, there was an insatiable and unmistakable fear. It sprung from one main source: the fear of death. Harry was the one person who Voldemort considered capable of bringing about his destruction—the one person who could make his greatest terrors a reality.

For that reason, Harry had to die.

I saw as Voldemort lifted his wand, an expression of curiosity formed on his unnatural face. Suddenly, the words were spilling from his mouth and a flash of green light was heading straight for Dumbledore's prodigy.

There was no acknowledgement of pain in the final second—just a vacuous space where only a moment before, the brilliant thoughts of a blinding highlight had burned with life.

Now, in the cold, and sinister depths of the Forbidden Forest, all that resided were dark spots and deadly shadows.

**A/N: I know there is a lack of action in this chapter, for which I am sorry, but I needed to include it because of what I planned for an upcoming one. As I'm sure you are aware, you can expect my next post to be nothing _but_ action, so I hope you won't mind too much. I wrote quite a lot of stuff whilst I was away, but I'm still only planning on uploading no more than one chapter a day. I think it's more interesting that way. ;D**


	10. Saviour

**A/N: I'm sorry it's taken me a while to load up this chapter. It's been a bit of a busy week. I thought I'd keep Edward's point of view for this one. I figured it would make it more interesting—getting to see people's thoughts and everything.**

**Anyways, I hope you enjoy it. Please review!**

At least five minutes passed before I felt calm enough to walk back into the Great Hall. I had needed the time to get it together; otherwise I probably would have ended up crushing some part of Bella during our reunion. Once I had finally regained control, and the urge to pummel everything to dust had diminished slightly, I walked back through massive doors to rejoin the others.

I heard the minds of my family before I saw them. They had finished gathering the bodies of lifeless students and were now huddled together in a corner of the Great Hall. Jasper was still suffering; he was sat against a wall with his head in his hands, fighting to stay afloat as the current of pain and anguish repeatedly threatened to pull him under.

_How did I stand this? Even before I received my powers, how did I handle this day after day?_

His thoughts flew to the comrades he had seen die in battle when he had served in the Civil War. Each time he'd lost one he'd felt a horrific stab of pain, but it had passed quickly in the rush of it all. Conflict, in his experience, rarely allowed people time to lament: the second you stopped resisting the overwhelming wave of grief, you made yourself vulnerable. Jasper's rank had meant that falling to pieces was an unpardonable offense: demonstrating strength and focus had been an absolute necessity, not only to set an example to his men, but to ensure their safety to the fullest possible extent.

He was at breaking point now, though: the emotional climate was becoming too much for him to bear. I could understand that—there had never been a time when I had regretted my telepathy more than I did now.

Mrs Weasley's thoughts were the worst. They conveyed a sorrow so bottomless that I myself felt in danger of falling—falling into somewhere dark and void of hope. I pulled out and did my best to block her; she reminded me too much of Esme and the inner turmoil that she had suffered after losing her own son.

As I approached my family, Bella noticed me and immediately ran into my open arms. Her face was stained with tears; evidently she hadn't been able to suppress the grief as successfully as she had hoped for. I pressed her against my chest and buried my face into her hair. Soon enough, she would learn that death had taken another of her friends, and her agony would be multiplied, especially upon realising that I had stood by and let it happen.

I had no idea what I would say to her. There was no way that she would ever be able to deem my actions justifiable. She was selfless; if I told her that I had allowed Harry to die so that she would have a chance at a better future, she would probably hate me. She _should_ hate me. I hated myself.

Jasper's head snapped up as he discerned my shame and self-loathing.

_Edward?_

I averted my gaze, unable to meet the questioning eyes of my brother. It was the wrong move—it tipped him off and reinforced his concern.

_What's happened?_ He demanded.

I couldn't stand to see Bella's pain accentuated. I realised that it was inevitable, but I wanted to delay that for as long as possible.

"Harry," I replied, whispering the word at a level she wouldn't be able to detect.

Immediately, Jasper was on his feet and as alert and rigid as the others, who all stood as still as statues, each one praying that I was not about to deliver news of a devastating kind. My breathing was hitched and ragged, so I inhaled deeply before I murmured out the story.

"Harry was the final Horcrux. Voldemort's soul became so unstable after he repeatedly ripped it to pieces, that he inadvertently divided it a seventh time when his Curse backfired on him the night he went to destroy the Potters. That fragment has been with Harry ever since, so whilst he lived … Voldemort would as well."

I squeezed my eyes tighter shut, unable to meet the eyes of my father. I felt like I had failed him too, somehow.

"I left the Hall to go after him … to stop him. But I couldn't. I know it's still inexcusable, but by allowing one death, I hoped to save a hundred more. I'm so sorry, Carlisle."

_Edward_, he thought, after a moment of silence. _Son._

I opened my eyes. Carlisle's expression was full of sadness, but it was also one of understanding.

_I can't imagine how hard it was for you to stand by and let him do it, but I know you well enough to see that you did it because there was no other choice._

"I should have dragged him back kicking and screaming. I shouldn't have let him do it."

_If it had been the other way around_, he continued carefully, _and you had been the final Horcrux, would you have sacrificed yourself, knowing that more people would die if you chose not to, and that Bella could very well be one of them?_

"Of course I would," I whispered, affronted. "You know what I'd do if anything were to happen to her."

_And the others? If you knew Bella would be safe regardless of your decision?_

I thought for a moment, before giving my head an infinitesimal shake. It was slight enough that Bella wouldn't have felt it.

"I don't think I'd be able to live with myself if I had to battle that kind of guilt. I already have enough of that to last a life time."

"Then don't blame yourself for something when you know it was the right thing. Harry obviously knew it. He was brave. It was his virtue—not your faults—that brought about his death."

He smiled at me then, but it was bleak, and his eyes quickly flew to Hermione and Ron, who were standing further up the hall locked in an embrace. Hermione's face was buried in the crook of Ron's neck, her arms locked firmly behind his head, whilst he pressed his face into her hair. Drops of moisture were scattered over the strands, and sparkled like tiny diamonds in the amber light of the surrounding torches. There were more clinging to Ron's collarbone, each of which had left a glimmering trail along his skin.

"How do we tell them?" Alice asked, looking in the same direction as Carlisle's. Her gaze flicked briefly to Bella then, before it settled on me.

In truth, I had absolutely no idea. I was about to enlighten my sister of that fact when the high, cold voice echoed through the air for the third time. Everyone fell silent immediately.

"Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone."

My jaw clenched and a low menacing snarl ripped through my teeth. In that moment, there was nothing in the world that I wanted more than to tear Voldemort to shreds. I wanted it for Harry, for Bella, for Fred, and for the countless innocents that were suffering in the cells of Azkaban.

Horror was visible on the face of every human in the ensuing moments as they battled feebly against the terrible words and the awful truth.

"The battle is won," Voldemort continued. "You have lost half of your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you and the Boy Who Lived is finished. There must be no more war. Anyone who continues to resist, man, woman, or child, will be slaughtered, as will every member of their family. Come out of the castle, now, kneel before me, and you will be spared. Your parents and children, your brothers and sisters will live, and be forgiven, and you will join me in the new world we shall build together."

The cruel voice fell silent, only to be replaced by the shrill and anguished cries of Professor McGonagall as she ran the length of the Hall towards the exit.

"Out of my way!" she screamed, her eyes thick with tears. _Please! Please let it not be true! Not him … not Harry!_

"Please," Bella begged, echoing the thoughts of her teacher, "tell me he's lying, Edward. Tell me Harry's alive."

I couldn't speak. All I could do was stare into her tortured, chocolate eyes as they welled with fat, glistening tears. Her breathing became uneven as she gasped in giant breaths of air. Her eyes flashed to the door, through which the students, teachers, and families were flying, their wands clasped tightly as they headed for the front line.

Bella disengaged herself from my embrace and pulled both wands from her pocket, before she sprinted off after the rest to meet the Death Eaters, my family and I running beside her. McGonagall's scream ripped the air just as we emerged into the open. It was followed by three haunting cries from Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, as each broke free of the crowd.

The sound was a trigger—like the resolute pressure that pushes the first domino, in turn ensuring a similar fate for the others in the chain. The crowd erupted in shouts and screams of abuse, all directed towards the common enemy, who trembled with fury at the continued resistance.

I lurched forward into my hunting crouch, relishing the opportunity to destroy the monster once and for all. I felt a feral snarl building in my chest, but a whisper at my ear quelled it before I had the chance to set it free.

"Edward," Emmett whispered, his voice unusually rough in his urgency, "his neck. Look at Harry's neck."

I followed his instruction, allowing my line of sight to drop to the boy laid at Voldemort's feet, my body freezing completely as I was met by an impossible image. There, clear and strong beneath the dirty-covered membrane of skin, was irrefutable proof that there was still reason to hope: somehow, despite the absolute impossibility, Harry Potter was alive, his pulse giving testimony to that one perfect truth, reinforced by the resurrection of his mind.

I unfroze and straightened, my head turning fractionally to the side so that I could meet the eyes of my family. I nodded, before focusing my attention on Bella.

She was screaming along with the others, overcome by both fury and grief. Voldemort flashed his wand time and again in an attempt to silence the crowd, but nothing he did was strong enough to hold them.

"He was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle grounds," Voldemort raged, after flourishing his wand once more to stifle the opposing voices.

I took my chance and pulled Bella into me, understanding that it would be far easier to get her attention whilst she was forced into silence.

"He's not dead."

She jerked and suddenly became rigid.

"He has a pulse, and I hear his mind," I murmured in her ear, ensuring that it was at a level that only she and my family would perceive. "Ready yourself. It's about to start."

As her eyes met mine, I saw that they were swimming with gratitude. I felt a slight pressure on my palm, and looked down to see that she had transferred the yew wand to her left hand in order to lace her fingers through mine. I guessed that she was using all her strength as she squeezed my palm in thanks, because her knuckles had turned white. In the next second, her hand had separated from mine, which was then replaced by her wand again. She turned back to face Voldemort, her eyes narrowing as concentration and determination swept her beautiful features.

Suddenly, a voice demanded my attention: it was so loud and indignant that it blocked out everything else, and I almost mistakenly assumed that the words were spilling forth orally. But they weren't; they formed the mental war cry of Neville Longbottom as he charged towards the snake-like man, his every thought centred on Nagini, which no longer resided within a protective bubble.

Before he could reach Voldemort and his creature, however, a Death Eater threw himself forwards and tackled him. The Death Stick flashed and Neville's wand went flying as a resounding bang filled the air.

"And who is this?" Voldemort hissed softly. "Who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight when the battle is lost?"

A woman with wild, dark hair on his right gave a joyful laugh.

"It is Neville Longbottom, my Lord! The boy who has been giving the Carrows so much trouble! The son of the Aurors, remember?"

"Ah yes, I remember," said Voldemort, who regarded Neville with a glint of amusement in his eye as the boy struggled back to his feet.

If it hadn't been for Neville's thoughts I don't think I would have been able to prevent myself from leaping at the enemy and crushing every bone in his body.

_Kill the snake. I have to kill the snake,_ he chanted, repeating the words over and over so that they formed some kind of mantra. And there it slithered, so close and exposed, completely unaware that its master was not the intended target of Neville's courageous charge. I forced myself to remain still, placing every ounce of hope and trust that I had in the Hogwarts warrior, willing him to finish the deadly reptile once and for all.

"But you are a pure-blood, aren't you, my brave boy?" Voldemort ask.

"So what if I am?" Neville replied, the disgust clear in his voice.

"You show spirit, and bravery, and you come of noble stock. You will make a very valuable Death Eater. We need your kind, Neville Longbottom.

"I'll join you when hell freezes over. Dumbledore's Army!"

The students behind him, including Bella, released mighty cheers in response and support of Neville's rejection.

"Very well," said Voldemort silkily, his tone dripping with the threat of danger. "If that is your choice, Neville Longbottom, we revert to the original plan. On your head … be it."

Just before he could flash his wand, I threw myself into his mind, desperately praying that I would be able to discover his plan and stop him before he had the chance to initiate it. His mind was filled with images of a tattered old hat, which immediately propelled me into a whirl of confusion.

_Accio Sorting Hat._

I heard the whistling of air from somewhere inside the castle, as the hat shot along the corridors. A little way off in the distance, there was a hammering of feet against the earth—a far off stampede that seemed to be heading towards Hogwarts. A loud smash from above announced the hat's arrival as it shot through a high window, shattering the glass as it did so.

Nothing made sense; surely Voldemort could dispose of Neville with a Killing Curse? Once again, I plunged myself back into his evil mind, only this time I was met by a horrific imagining. I saw Neville standing as still as a statue, the rim of the hat falling over his eyes, whilst both he and the material burnt madly, completely overcome by licentious flames, which licked passionately at his flesh and robes.

The second the image assaulted my thoughts, I had resumed my crouch again, every muscle in my body coiled to spring. I felt my face crack into a vicious snarl as my chest bubbled with hate. Although the others did not know the reason behind my fury, they knew that it could only have been provoked by Voldemort's wicked schemes; as a result, they followed my lead, leaning forwards in preparation, their venomous teeth bared and ready.

All of a sudden, a recent memory flooded my mind.

I was in the Room of Requirement listening to Ron's thoughts and narrating them to Bella and my family.

_The sorting hat_, Bella explained. _Harry pulled the sword out of it in second year. It presents itself to those who demonstrate courage. It's the quality which defines true Gryffindors._

My mind switched to another memory, the one when Bella and I had revealed to Harry, Ron and Hermione our knowledge of the Horcruxes. Hermione had said that it wasn't possible to destroy them through strength alone, and that they had to be put beyond magical repair.

_The Sword of Gryffindor is tipped with Basilisk venom … which only has one cure._

Voldemort proclaimed that the Sorting tradition at Hogwarts school was over, and that every student would live under the 'noble' emblem of Salazar Slytherin. Then he flicked his wand, causing Neville to grow stiff and unmoving, before he stuffed the hat down onto his head. The Death Eaters raised their wands at the opposing Wizards and Witches, immediately after which their master flicked the Death Stick and set the hat alight.

Rosalie released a menacing snarl whilst the humans screamed in horror. She was about to throw herself forwards in a fit of rage, but I grabbed a hold of her just in time and forced her back.

"Not yet!" I urged. "Not until the last possible mome—"

"He's about to go up in smoke, Edward!" she cried.

"Just wait. Please trust me!"

Her head whipped to Neville, before her eyes zoomed beyond him into the distance, where an enraged army were storming over the school boundaries and hurtling forwards, screaming at the tops of their lungs as they flew for the Death Eaters, each one possessing a look of primal, blood-thirsty hunger. A loud rumble vibrated through the ground as a mammoth of a man came into view. He let out a desperate yell, only to be met by an angry surge of enemy giants, the force of their collision and resultant combat causing the earth to quake.

It was the second after the centaurs at the edge of the forest released a rain of arrows that it happened.

A voice in Neville's ear cried, "We are burning, boy. We are finished."

_I'd rather burn than join him!_

Suddenly, a clunk issued from inside the hat, and I knew without doubt that it had worked. Neville's body unfroze; his muscles seemed to act of their own accord, propelled into movement by the desperate need to fight. As the hat fell, he pulled from within its depths the silver hilt of a ruby encrusted sword. In one swift and fluid motion, he swung it high above is body and, with a mighty cry of true, heroic courage, brought it down upon the head of the snake.

Voldemort's murderous scream immediately pierced the air, as he cast a Curse in Neville's direction. It reflected off a shield though, just as the cries of the half-giant carried over the heads of the fighters.

"HARRY! HARRY—WHERE'S HARRY?"

"He's under the cloak!" Alice whispered to Bella, who was scanning the area in panic. "Go!"

I scooped Bella up into my arms, and ran for the castle. The multitude on the other side of the Death Eaters was forcing them backwards towards the Hogwarts entrance. As we broke through the doors, Bella fired two flares of red light over my shoulders, one from each wand, instantly ducking as a Curse flew back at her from a retaliating foe.

"Put me down," she said.

I followed her command and lowered her to the floor, before throwing myself at the Death Eater who had dared to aim a Killing Curse at _my _fiancée.

"She's engaged to a Vampire, you moron!"

My foot made contact with his chest, thrusting him backwards at a deadly speed. His head cracked into the stone wall, and he crumpled instantly to the floor, nothing more than an empty shell.

I continued to attack the oncoming Death Eaters, all the while ensuring that Bella occupied some portion of my attention. She duelled as fiercely as a lion, and there was no more than a second's interval between each spell she cast.

"Defindo!" she shouted, aiming a wand at the massive, metal bracket fastened to the wall above one of the Death Eaters. It fell and cracked the man on the back of his skull, instantly rendering him unconscious.

Then she was shooting ropes out of the other wand, which flew through the air and wrapped around the body of a another cloaked figure, preventing him from firing a Spell at Dean Thomas. He struggled violently against the binding; perhaps, Bella's next spell was a means of deterring such behaviour. With a flick of the mahogany wand, the ropes transformed into a giant, hissing, anaconda, which eyed the Death Eater hungrily. It opened its jaws and revealed its fangs. The man stopped his struggling immediately, overwhelmed by terror as he looked into the bright yellow eyes of the snake; only then, as the Death Eater ended his battle for freedom, did the creature close its deadly jaws—though its face remained hopeful.

"You're really good at this kind of thing, aren't you," Rosalie said right before she swung a Death Eater through a stained-glass window.

"Transfiguration always was my best subject," Bella explained, a slight smile on her face as she blasted another enemy against the castle wall.

We continued to fight in the ensuing minutes. Whenever a curse threatened to hit one of the students, either Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, Alice or myself would launch forward and block its path; Emmett and Jasper, on the other hand, had remained outside to battle the giants.

I searched for their minds, concerned for their safety. My worry, it seemed, was unnecessary. Both had hold of two separate Giants, and were competing to see who could throw them the furthest. They gripped the Giants' feet and swung them round as if contending for the hammer-throw gold in their Vampire Olympics. Jasper's Giant didn't quite make the lake; it crashed into the earth a few feet from it, and lay unmoving after the force of the fall. Emmett's Giant, on the other hand, plummeted just off the centre of the watery expanse. As its head broke the surface, it screamed and thrashed, whilst a colossal tentacle rose from beneath and wrapped around the Giant's head, which was pulled out of view in the next second. A few enormous bubbles broke through the water, before the lake resumed its calm appearance once again.

"Yes!" In your face!" Emmett boomed at Jasper.

"Unbelievable," I muttered, retracting my focus from my idiot brothers.

Suddenly, a war-cry from my left caught my attention, and an army of odd looking creatures swarmed into the Entrance Hall, each one wielding kitchen implements which they used to attack the Death Eaters, screaming manically as they went.

"Fight! Fight!" ordered the leader. "Fight for my master, defender of house-elves! Fight the Dark Lord in the name of brave Regulus! Fight!"

And fight they did, like ferocious little warriors, sinking their carving knives and teeth into the legs of the enemies. One of them even proceeded to bash the incarcerated Death Eater over the head with a sauce pan until he lost consciousness. The snake never moved to stop the enraged creature; it merely watched the entire thing with a look of indifference.

Before long, the Entrance Hall grew so cramped that we were forced to move through to the Great Hall. The horde spilled in after us, and within a matter of minutes, students and parents were arranged around the edges of the room, whilst Voldemort and the wild-haired woman, who I soon learnt was named Bellatrix Lestrange, occupied the centre. The latter was engaged in a duel with Hemione, Luna and Ginny, whilst her master stood battling McGonagall, Slughorn, and Kingsley.

All of a sudden, Mrs Weasley ran at Bellatrix, infuriated by the fact that she had very nearly caught Ginny with a Killing Curse.

"NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!"

Bellatrix released a mad cackle as the woman approached her.

"OUT OF MY WAY!" Mrs Weasley shrieked, before immediately throwing her first Spell at her opponent and commencing their duel. Light flew this way and that, the floor at the centre growing hot and cracked as the Curses met.

Jasper and Emmett joined us then, and we all looked on towards the middle of the Hall as the two separate battles unfolded. The wands of the watching students, teachers, and newcomers no longer flourished; instead, they hung peacefully at their masters' sides.

"Can you see anything yet, Alice?" Jasper whispered.

She shook her head in response.

"There are too many creatures here. Maybe it isn't only werewolves that block my visions."

My eyes flew to Bellatrix as she erupted into another fit of laughter.

"What will happen to your children when I've killed you?" she taunted, dancing around the Curses that were flying her way. "When Mummy's gone the same way as Freddie?"

Six deadly growls ripped through the air, immediately drawing the Witch's attention. She looked at my family and her eyes widened slightly. Our small distraction threw Mrs Weasley a window though.

In a voice that was a mix of both sheer desperation and hate, she screamed, "You—will—never—touch—our—children—again!"

And then a flash of green light flew at Bellatrix, and before she had time to lift her wand in defence, it hit her right on the chest, directly above her heart, which stopped beating immediately. She tumbled backwards against the floor, the thud of the fall accompanied by a huge joyful roar from the onlooking crowd. Bella cheered too, as did my brothers and sisters. I, on the other hand, had my attention fixed on the mind of the invisible boy who was standing between the victorious Mrs Weasley and the furious Voldemort.

Voldemort released his anger in a manic scream, the force of his spell sending the three other duellers flying backwards through the air. Kingsley and Slughorn were saved from a painful impact by Flitwick, who twirled his wand quickly, suspending their bodies before they could collide with the ground. McGonagall, however, flew in the opposite direction. She would have smashed straight into the solid wall and obtained critical injuries, only she was saved by my chivalrous, golden haired brother, who reacted immediately, pouncing into the air and rescuing her from the blow.

Jasper placed her on her feet next to Bella, in the same second that Harry fired a shield between Voldemort and Mrs Weasley. Everyone looked around for the source of the sound, and Harry satisfied them by pulling off his cloak, exposing himself for his final battle.

Screams and cheers of shock and jubilation exploded through the air as the Hall reacted to Harry's return. Their relief wasn't my key interest though. I searched for Voldemort's thoughts, desperately tempted by his secret reaction. On the surface, he looked calm, yet livid in the same moment; beneath it all, however, lay nothing but a whirlwind of overwhelming fear.

_Not possible! Dead! Dead! I killed him! I destroyed him with the Elder Wand! He cannot be alive! It is an impossibility! But there he is! Alive! Alive when he should be dead!_

"I don't want anyone else to try and help," said Harry, as he and Voldemort began to circle, their wands pointing directly at one another. "It's got to be like this. It's got to be me."

"Potter doesn't mean that," hissed Voldemort. "That isn't how he works, is it? Who are you going to use as a shield today, Potter?"

"Nobody," Harry answered simply. "There are no more Horcruxes. It's just you and me. Neither can live whilst the other survives, and one of us is about to leave for good …"

_How could he possibly have known? How could Dumbledore have discovered my secrets? Secrets that I never confided to anyone! _

"One of us? You think it will be you, do you, the boy who has survived by accident, and because Dumbledore was pulling the strings?"

Externally, Voldemort conveyed absolute confidence in his ability to defeat Harry; beneath the façade, however, he was terrified of Harry's ability to cheat death. He saw the boy as some kind of phantom, one who would remain tied to the world of the living until he could finally managed to pull Voldemort back through the veil with him. In his eyes, Harry may as well have been carrying a scythe and an hour glass, for he had ironically and paradoxically become the living Reaper.

"Accident, was it, when my mother died to save me?" asked Harry. "Accident, when I decided to fight in that graveyard? Accident, that I didn't defend myself tonight, and still survived, and returned to fight again?"

I focused in on Harry's thoughts, and for one brief moment, I saw an image that, according to him, was of the place that he had visited after being hit by the Killing Curse. It was a grand hall with a sparkling glass dome for a roof. There was an old man sat there, and he had a great, white beard and wore half-moon spectacles. If it hadn't been for the fact that I had seen the same face in the minds of others as they thought of the old Hogwarts headmaster, I probably would have presumed that the man was God. He certainly looked the part in my opinion. In fact, this entire thing seemed freakishly close to the Christian story: an omniscient being sending his protégé to die to save the world from evil, evidently aware that the very same boy would have the power to achieve his own resurrection.

That was the pivotal moment—the one where my fear for Harry swelled into belief. Dumbledore had obviously understood some of the deepest and oldest magic. If he had encouraged Harry's return, all-knowing as he seemed, he must have believed that his pupil truly did have the power to end Voldemort once and for all. That was enough for me.

"_Accidents!" _roared Voldemort. "Accident and chance and the fact that you cowered and snivelled behind the skirts of greater men and women, and permitted me to kill them for you!"

"You won't be killing anyone else tonight," replied Harry. "You won't be able to kill any of them ever again. Don't you get it? I was ready to die to stop you hurting these people—"

"But you did not!"

"—I meant to, and that's what did it. I've done what my mother did. They're protected from you. Haven't you noticed how none of the spells you put on them are binding? You can't torture them. You can't touch them. You don't learn from your mistakes, Riddle, do you?"

Voldemort's fear instantly morphed into a blaze of fury, outraged by the Harry's use of his name, and even more enraged by the fact that he had done so in front of hundreds of witnesses. He detested anything that associated him with the non-magical world and his father. I felt my eyes bulge as I discovered that he had murdered the man.

"You dare—"

"Yes, I dare," interrupted Harry. "I know things you don't, Tom Riddle. I know lots of important things you don't. Want to hear some of them, before you make another big mistake?"

Voldemort jeered, taunting his adversary with the fact that Dumbledore had been foolish enough to value _love _above the greatest magic. The terror surged through him once again as Harry informed him that he believed he possessed magic and a weapon more powerful than anything belonging to Voldemort.

The proclamation effectively launched the two into an argument regarding the Deathstick, where Harry revealed Dumbledore's final plan and the true nature of Severus Snape.

_No matter, _thought Voldemort, relieved that Harry's revelation was nothing more than Snape's duplicity._ Snape is dead. Whether he was working for Dumbledore or not is now irrelevant. He is gone, and I am the master of the Elder Wand._

"Dumbledore was trying to keep the wand from me," he cackled. "He intended that Snape should be the true master of the wand! But I got their ahead of you, little boy—I reached the wand before you could get your hands on it, I understood the truth before you caught up. I killed Severus Snape three hours ago, and the Elder Wand, the Deathstick, the Wand of Destiny is truly mine! Dumbledore's last plan went wrong, Harry Potter!"

"Yeah, it did," said Harry. "You're right. But before you try to kill me, I'd advise you to think about what you've done … think, and try for some remorse, Riddle …"

"What is this?"

"It's your one last chance," Harry continued. "It's all you've got left … I've seen what you'll be otherwise…" His mind filled with the memory of a flayed and naked child. It was laid on the floor of the limbo hall, whimpering in terror, its body arranged into the foetal position. "Be a man … try … try for some remorse …"

"You dare—"

"Yes, I dare," interrupted Harry, again, "because Dumbledore's last plan hasn't backfired on me at all. It's backfired on you, Riddle.

"That wand still isn't working properly for you, because you murdered the wrong person. Severus Snape was never the true master of the Elder Wand. He never defeated Dumbledore."

Voldemort tried to argue, but Harry cut him off in his determination to show him his greatest mistake yet. He informed him that Dumbledore's plan would have left him unbeaten, for Snape would have been killing him under the headmaster's orders and, therefore, the power of the Elder Wand would have died with him.

_But I stole it: I stole it against Dumbledore's wishes. It's power is mine now!_

Voldemort proceeded to voice his thoughts, which, in turn, sent a surge of frustration through his opponent.

"Didn't you listen to Ollivander? _The wand chooses the wizard_ … the Elder Wand recognised a new master before Dumbledore died, someone who never even laid a hand on it. The new master removed the wand from Dumbledore against his will, never realising exactly what he had done, or that the world's most dangerous wand had given him its allegiance …"

_Lies! Snape killed Dumbledore. The others confirmed it! They witnessed the death!_

"The true master of the Elder Wand was Draco Malfoy."

Three separate gasps reached my ears. One had come from Draco himself, whose thoughts were in a whirl. I had expected to find regret upon entering his mind, but all I could detect were utter shock and paralysing fear. He remembered that he had disarmed his old Headmaster, and knew that his action would lead him to the same fate as Snape. The second gasp had come from the woman at his side, whose thoughts mirrored Draco's.

_Not my son! He will kill him for sure! He's going to kill my son!_

The third gasp had come from Hermione. Her eyes bulged and flew to the weapon in Harry's hand, then to the Slytherin boy, who was being clutched tightly by his desperate mother, and finally back to the wand.

_He took it! He took it at the Malfoy Manor. He mastered Draco's wand! _

And suddenly Hermione was on the same wavelength as Harry. She saw where the conversation was going, as did I, my eyes snapping to the mahogany stick that Bella had won from the Death Eater. I looked briefly back at Hermione, whose eyes seemed to sparkle as she looked on towards the centre of the hall, her breathing accelerating with the force of her elation and hope, before I shot my gaze back to the circling pair.

"But what does it matter?" said Voldemort softly. "Even if you are right, Potter, it makes no difference to you and me. You no longer have the Phoenix wand: we duel on skill alone … and after I have killed you, I can attend to Draco Malfoy …"

"But you're too late," smiled Harry in response. "You've missed your chance. I got there first. I overpowered Draco weeks ago. I took this wand from him."

He twitched the wand, and Voldemort's heart immediately flew into double-time, pumping madly, as if attempting to break free of its cage in order to flee the danger it evidently sensed.

_He's terrified, _thought Jasper, who was staring at the snake-man, his breath held as the fear and elation of the room affected his own emotions.

For what I prayed would be the last time, I threw myself into Voldemort's mind. Jasper had been right; the monster sensed his end.

_This cannot be! He cannot be its master! I cannot die! This cannot be my fate! I have walked along the path of immortality! I cannot—will not—be defeated! I must not be defeated! He must be the one to die … Not me!_

"So it all comes down to this, doesn't it?" whispered Harry, his wand gripped firmly, the moment of truth only seconds away. "Does the wand in your hand know its last master was disarmed? Because if it does … I am the true master of the Elder Wand."

All of a sudden, a red-gold ray from the rising sun burst across the room, bathing the Great Hall in the colours of Harry's house—of Bella's—announcing the end of twilight and the beginning of a new day. The high, ferocious shriek of Voldemort filled the air in the same moment that Harry released his final cry of defence, both men seeming to burn in the fiery light of the dawn.

"_Avada Kedavra!"_

"_Expelliarmus!"_

Green and red lightening flashed between them, meeting in the middle with an incredible bang as the spells collided in an explosion of flames. And then the colours flashed together in the crucial second, back towards the man who had murdered so many innocents, his retribution coming for him at last.

His thoughts rang with one final scream in the moment his flare changed course—the moment that he knew that Death was unavoidable and had finally caught up with him.

The jets both hit his chest in the same second, the force of the magic sending Voldemort backwards through the air, as the Elder Wand flew from his hand and spun in the direction of Harry, its rightful master—the man it refused to destroy—the one who had finally come to claim it, and with whom it must be united.

And as Voldemort fell backwards towards the ground—the heart and mind of the tyrant silent at last—Harry caught the wand in his outstretched hand, before his eyes fell back to the lifeless corpse of his defeated nemesis sprawled pathetically across the floor.

There was one brief moment of quiet, both oral and verbal as the room stared on dumbly at the dead body of Voldemort. Then, in a torrent of bursting screams of shock and jubilation, the room crashed towards their hero, every single one of them fuelled by a gratitude so powerful that it could not possibly be expressed through any amount of thanks.

_He did it! He did it, _were the words that assaulted me in those next few seconds.

_It's over! He did it!_

_Harry! Harry_!

_He killed him! He did it!_

The mental and spoken cheers were deafening as they echoed around the Hall; the only mind I was interested in, however, was the one belonging to the girl that was flying at me. Bella raced into my arms, her eyes overflowing with tears of joy and grief.

I crushed my lips to hers in a way that I very rarely attempted—my own relief and happiness were far too overwhelming. In one moment of madness, I threw caution to the winds and kissed her in the way that a regular teenage boy would kiss the girl he loved: I kissed her like my life depended on it. And she returned it, her arms circling my neck as she swung her legs up and locked them around my waist, allowing me to support her weight.

"I love you," she laughed through her tears, as she pulled back to look at me.

"I love you too," I replied, knowing that there was no one truth greater than that.

And then Carlisle and Esme were running at us. Carlise patted me on the back whilst Esme scooped Bella up in a loving hug, intensely happy that the fragile girl she considered a daughter had survived the battle.

I stared about the room. Rosalie was wrapped around Emmett, the pair oblivious to everything going on around them as they engaged in an unending kiss. Alice and Jasper were also locked in an embrace, but they were gazing into one another's eyes instead, wonder and love visible on their faces. At the centre of the Great Hall, Ginny had thrown herself at Harry; he crushed her body to his and buried his face in her hair. Ron, meanwhile, was trapped in a hug with his mother, though his eyes never left Hermione, who was being embraced by McGonagall. Ron's mother released him in the same moment that the teacher let go of her pupil to wrap her arms around Professor Sprout. Now free, Ron flew to Hermione and lifted her off the ground, swinging her around in his happiness. Her face, like Bella's, was streaked with tears, overcome by the intense flood of emotion that Voldemort's defeat had inspired. She laughed as she twirled through the air, her eyes never leaving Ron's face throughout the entire thing, not even after he lowered her to the ground.

"So," she said, her smile touching her eyes, which sparkled with joy, "third year when I punched Draco Malfoy?"

The blush crept onto Ron's cheeks, and his gaze flicked across the room to me for a brief moment.

_Cheers, mate. You really put me in it._

I laughed loudly and winked at him, immediately after which his eyes snapped back to Hermione. His posture straightened and he shrugged, as he attempted to hide his embarrassment.

"Well, it was the single sexiest moment in history. Can you blame me?"

Hermione giggled, and in the ensuing seconds, she and Ron were following the lead of the other couples scattering the room.

Just before Bella returned into my waiting arms, she laughed loudly, the beautiful sound sparking my curiosity. I followed her gaze to the half-giant, Hagrid. He had scooped the tiny Professor Flitwick into his arms, and was kissing him on the cheek. The teacher didn't protest, even as Hagrid's fat, fast-falling tears spilled onto his clothes; instead, he cheered and flashed his wand, causing a stream of golden bubbles to cascade into the air. Then, he grabbed Hagrid's face, and landed a kiss on the giant's cheek in return.

I laughed, before returning my attention to my Bella, the most irresistible girl in the world.


	11. Beyond the Veil

**A/N: Hey, everyone! This is the final chapter**_**. **_**It's quite a long one, but I wanted to make sure I tied up the loose ends. I've loved writing **_**The Secret Keeper**_**, and I hope very much that you've liked it. Thanks so much for your comments. I've loved reading them. Enjoy!**

Although the swell of emotion following Harry's triumph did not fade throughout the course of the day, the initial joy lessened as the families and friends of those who had died in the final battle were finally able to turn their attention to mourning.

Fred's death, in particular, caused waves of heartache to surge through the school. He had obviously been very popular amongst the students and teachers. It wasn't difficult to understand why: he'd had a talent for making people laugh. Even I, in the few hours that I had known him, hadn't been able to suppress the smiles as he joked with his brother at Bella's expense. The knowledge that she had formed a close friendship with the Weasley twins made it all the more excruciating. I couldn't stand to see Bella in pain—it felt as if I was being torn apart from the inside out.

Carlisle, unable to prevent decades of medical practice from kicking in, suggested that we should return to Forks in order to allow Bella some rest. I was inclined to agree with him; she looked exhausted, which was only to be expected, considering the circumstances. She refused, however, determined, as she was, to talk with those who had remained behind to fight.

_There's a sense of belonging here for her, Edward, _Jasper thought as he watched her embrace Katie Bell and Angelina Johnson, both of who wore the same glimmering trails on their cheeks as Bella. _These people can relate far better than we are able. She needs to be here … for a few more hours, at least._

I nodded. Jasper was right—the first stages of mourning would be better spent in the company of those with whom she shared a mutual grief. We walked with her as she moved through out the Hall, making her way from one friend to another.

"Jasper," she said, after she had finished her exchange with Lee Jordan, "would you mind … helping me out a little, please? It's all getting a little …"

Her voice broke on the last word as her breathing began to hitch.

"Of course," he replied, softly, his eyes kind.

A wall of calm exploded outwards, the effects immediate as it crashed upon Bella. She inhaled deeply then, her eyes squeezed shut as she did so, before she flicked them open and directed a meek smile at my empathic brother.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, Bella," he said, satisfied with the awareness that he was actually useful in this kind of situation.

I felt envy bubble in my gut. A crease appeared between Jasper's eyes as he tasted my mood, his head tilting slightly to the side in question.

"I just feel useless," I mumbled at a level Bella wouldn't be able to hear.

_Oh, _he thought, his brow unfurrowing immediately. _You're not the only one, Edward. _His eyes flashed to Alice, whose expression revealed every ounce of the torment she experienced as she watched her best friend.

_Jasper won't be there to give her a reprieve every time she needs it. What then? Hasn't Bella already had enough to deal with? Now this! No one should have to watch their friends die. If it had been Bella instead … I don't think that even Jasper would have the power to dull that level of sorrow._

I recoiled from my sister's mind; that was one subject I could _not _bear to think about.Bella had survived: she had made it through the battle because she was a fierce fighter and an accomplished witch. Dwelling on thoughts of what could have happened was both painful and unnecessary.

We headed over towards Neville and Luna, who were sat amongst a crowd of students, though they were accompanied by an old lady in peculiar dress. There was the strong smell of moth balls circulating her, and in her hand, she gripped a large pointed hat, on the side of which sat a stuffed vulture. Surely the smug woman hadn't been wearing _that_ during the battle. In fact, what was an individual of her age doing here anyway?

I quickly searched back through my memories, and almost laughed out loud at the image that filled my head. I had seen this same woman transform a man into a squirrel, after which she had proceeded to swing it around over her head like a lasso, before releasing the rodent and sending it flying in an Emmett and Jasper-like fashion. How very odd.

"Ah," she said, noticing our arrival, "so _these _must be the vampires I've been hearing about."

She lifted her glasses to her eyes, which were tied to a cord hanging about her neck, and peered through the lenses at each of us individually.

"Similar coloured eyes as my cat," she mused, her face only inches from Emmett's.

_Not a very frightening looking bunch, this lot. _My eyes popped. This was getting ridiculous! We couldn't even scare an elderly woman now? We really were losing our touch.

The woman's eyes travelled to our hands, which remained laced with our patners'.

_Yes, far too lovey-dovey for Vampires. And their clothes … the older male is wearing a baby blue tie for Merlin's sake! Not scary in the slightest!_

What was she expecting? Capes?

_Never mind, never mind. Wardrobe is not important._

Better not tell that to Alice.

"My grandson," she said, proudly waving a hand to indicate Neville, "and his friend, Miss Lovegood, have informed me of your contribution to the war effort. It would seem that we witches and wizards owe you a great debt."

"I'm sure you would have won," replied Carlisle politely, "regardless of our involvement."

"Don't be so modest! How many parents and grandparents owe you there children's lives? I saw you throw yourself as a shield earlier, Mr …"

"Cullen."

"Mr Cullen," she said, her eyes still on my father. "Our numbers could have severely depleted if you had not decided to come to Hogwarts. We still may have gained the overall victory, but at what cost?"

"Well, we're just happy that we could help," smiled Esme.

"Indeed," answered Neville's grandmother, her eyes travelling over our group again, finally coming to rest on my hand, which was still weaved through Bella's. "You are not like other vampires. Anyone could see that. I am very grateful for it."

She smiled at each of us then, before heading off in the direction of Professor McGonagall.

"Don't mind her," Neville laughed. "She's a tough old bird, but she's alright really."

"How are you feeling, Bella?" Luna asked, her voice heavy with concern.

"No differently from everyone else, I guess," answered Bella.

Luna nodded, and took Bella's hand.

"We'll see them again. They're only on the other side of the Veil."

"The Veil?" I questioned, remembering that Voldemort had used the same term in his thoughts after Harry had made his reappearance. "I've heard that before. What does it mean?"

"Has Bella told you about the Ministry?" Luna said.

"Yes, briefly."

"Well, there is a place there called the Department of Mysteries. We went there in fifth year to stop Voldemort from getting his hands on a Prophecy.

"There is a great circular room, and at its centre lies an arch, from which hangs a Veil. Looking at it, you'd think that to walk through it would just mean that you'd come out on the other side. That's not the exactly the case though. The arch is a gateway into Death."

"What?" gasped Rosalie.

"Luna's right," Bella whispered. "In the old days, the arch was used for executions. It was considered the most humane way of killing. All a person has to do is walk through it, and they die. There body doesn't fall out on the other side. They just disappear."

"And no one ever came back … once they'd passed through?" asked Carlisle, who was riveted to the conversation.

"No one can return to the world of the living once they've truly passed into death," said Bella, shaking her head.

I wasn't so sure about that. I still hadn't told her of the resurrection Stone. I hadn't even fully discussed with her the impossible incident that happened in the Forbidden Forest. I desperately wanted to ask Harry about that. I had felt his mind disappear after Voldemort had fired the Curse, and I had seen the memories of his time in limbo (if that was what it was), but my knowledge was limited. I wanted the details. I needed to understand.

"You heard the voices, too, Bella," Luna urged.

"Voices?" I said.

"The ones calling from beneath the Veil," Bella explained quietly.

"You see," continued Luna. "Don't think of it as 'goodbye', just … 'see you later.'" _Even if you do decide to prolong your time here, everything has to pass through at some point … even Vampires._

I didn't register the fact that I was gawking until Luna walked away down the length of the Hall. Although a little confusing, she was undoubtedly insightful.

I had always believed that an afterlife existed for the humans. I had never been able to accept that the world was the result of some colossal accident—that there was no more to life than flukes and evolution. I was becoming entirely more certain that my initial beliefs were right as time went on. There was something more … something that came next. Despite that, I couldn't accept that Heaven was possible for my kind. I had seen the effects my venom had on the Horcrux. It had successfully destroyed a piece of Voldemort's soul. Without a soul, what part was there left that could allow us entry?

My head felt heavy. Even as Luna's voice called from across the Hall, as she shouted out something about a 'Blibbering Humdinger', I couldn't find it in me to crack a smile.

"I saw your little trick with the snake, Bella," said Neville. "That was great! The Death Eater looked terrified."

"Speaking of snakes," she answered, "what you did with Nagini was incredible, Neville. If someone had told me in first year that you were going to become such a hero, I never would have believed them. You were so—"

"Dopy?"

"Shy! And quiet," smiled Bella. "Look at you now."

"Aw, gosh, Bella," Neville blushed. "Everyone who fought did amazin'. It was a team effort."

"May I have a look at your sword, Neville?" Carlisle asked, unable to hold his fascination.

"Sure! Take a seat."

My family each took a place at the long table, the other students scooting over to make room for them. Bella, however, remained standing, her head turned towards the huge doors leading out into the Entrance Hall, through which Ron and Hermione were walking.

"Edward," she said tiredly, "I think I'm going to go have a human moment. I need to clean up."

"Do you want to go back?"

"No! No, not just yet." She gave a faint smile, and then moved to kiss me on the cheek. "I'll be back in a little while."

I nodded, and watched her turn and walk towards the exit.

In the mood that I had fallen into, hearing about the Sword of Gryffindor posed no interest for me. I needed somewhere quiet to think about whether or not I was willing to risk Bella's soul, now that I had learnt what I had; before that, though, I would require all the information that Harry could give me about the place beyond.

I searched for his mind, immediately realising that he was with Ron and Hermione, beneath his invisibility cloak. He was revealing to them everything that he had seen in the Pensieve.

"So, that was Snape in the forest?" Ron asked.

"Yes, he'd been working for Dumbledore the entire time, and we never knew it."

Harry then move onto explaining how he had been the last Horcrux, before telling them about his walk to meet Voldemort. He refrained from mentioning me, for which I was grateful. Finally, he came to the section of his tale which involved the limbo hall. I listened, completely engrossed in his words and mental picturing.

"I imagine he'll be forced to exist in that state for the rest of eternity," said Harry. "Dumbledore himself said that Voldemort's soul was beyond anyone's help."

He then moved onto telling them about the connection that had developed between his and Voldemort's wand, and then onto the subject of the 'Deathly Hallows'. I learnt that there was some connection between the Resurrection Stone, the Elder Wand, and the Invisibility Cloak, and that it was the dream of many to unite them. Dumbledore, too, had obsessed over the idea, apparently; but, as of yet, only Harry had been able to do so, because he used them selflessly, whereas others would use them for personal gain.

"So … there really is something after?" Ron asked, his thoughts flying to Fred, instantly registering the stabbing pain which seemed to pierce him.

"Yes."

"And how is it that you were able to come back?" said Hermione, utterly fascinated and thirsty for information.

"When Voldemort took my blood, he absorbed my mother's protection. Whilst he lived, the magic tethered me to life in the same way that a Horcrux would."

"Incredible!" Hermione exclaimed.

They arrived at the head's office then, and were met by an unbelievable applause as they walked through the doors. When the portraits had settled down, Harry addressed the white-bearded man in the largest frame, directly behind the ornate desk.

"The thing that was hidden in the Snitch … I dropped it in the Forest. I don't know exactly where, but I'm not going to go looking for it again. Do you agree?"

"My dear boy, I do," said Dumbledore through his happy tears. "A wise and courageous decision, but no less than I would have expected of you. Does anyone else know where it fell?"

"No one," said Harry, deceptively, not wanting to mention my name in front of Ron and Hermione. _Edward could know. Would he be tempted to go looking for it? I should talk to him, just in case._

And, suddenly, I was striding through the Entrance Hall, shooting into the courtyard, and breaking into a sprint. My feet barely touched the floor as I flew past the wooden hut and into the sinister forest. There were no signs of the Dementors now; they had fled after Voldemort's recent defeat. The sound of hundreds of hooves beating against the ground could be heard from somewhere far off as I streaked through the shadows.

Locating the clearing took neither time nor effort; even without my perfect memory, Harry's scent was strong, surrounded by dozens of others which were leading in the same direction. I followed the trail to the very spot where he had uncloaked himself, identifying the Resurrection Stone amongst the dirt, twigs, and crispy leaves immediately.

I reached down to pick it up. It seemed so regular—nothing particularly extraordinary—yet it was. I had already beheld its power once; I desperately wanted it again, and was sorely tempted. Still, I was well aware that it was extremely wrong to disturb the dead. Harry knew it, too, hence the reason why he wished to speak with me.

But if it was just this once—this one time—surely it couldn't hurt … just this once, and then never again. The Stone twirled three times in my fingers, my eyelids pressed firmly shut as fear and elation exploded through my veins.

At first, I thought that it had been unsuccessful—I heard no sound to indicate that someone was standing nearby—but, then, from across some thick, mysterious barrier, I felt a burst of positive emotion—of absolute, unending love.

"Edward," came a voice.

I gasped in a quick breath, my eyes snapping open in the very same moment.

And there she stood, her thick, bronze hair falling in gentle waves to her waist, over the high-necked, emerald dress I remembered her wearing so frequently around the house: Elizabeth Masen, my mother.

Even if I had known exactly what I had wanted to say, I wouldn't have been able to get the words out. My body felt like every bit the statue that it should have been, my tongue remaining completely frozen as I gazed at the woman across from me.

She moved forwards towards me until only inches separated us, before her hand rose through the air to touch my cheek. I swallowed. Her hand felt neither warm nor cold, nor did it feel completely substantial. Tenderness and wonder overtook her countenance as she made the gesture, and I swiftly felt my own expression begin to mirror the one which filled my eyes.

"My boy," she cooed, "my beautiful boy."

"M-Mom?" I said in a whisper, unable to believe that this was really happening. "Mother?"

She nodded quickly, her face breaking into an incredible smile. My arms rose of their own accord to grip her lightly, whilst my eyes travelled over her face, cementing every shade and angle into my memory.

"How is this even possible?" I murmured, realising that maintaining a steady voice would have been beyond me if I had decided to speak with more volume. "Is this real?"

"Does it feel real? Does it feel right?"

I nodded.

"Then it is," she said simply. "How it is possible doesn't really matter. You need to stop over-thinking things, my Darling."

"I miss you," I said sincerely. There were so many things I wanted to say—so many things I wanted to ask—but everything seemed to be getting stuck in my throat. "We were ill … I didn't get to say goodbye."

She inhaled deeply, before the smile reappeared on her face. Then her hand dropped to my arm as she wound hers through mine.

"Walk with me," she said, her turquoise eyes never leaving my face. I, too, was having problems averting my gaze. In the end, I decided it was pointless to try and, instead, watched where I was going through my peripheral vision.

"When the epidemic reached us, Edward, I knew perfectly well that there was no hope for me. I knew that I would die. That part wasn't difficult to accept: I was never afraid for myself. What did terrify me—the thing I truly couldn't bear to think of—was the idea that death would come for you as well. You were so young … so young and lovely … and there were still a world of things that you hadn't experienced. I prayed and prayed that you'd survive … that you'd be given the chance to live a full and happy life."

"Did you know?" I asked suddenly. "Did you know what he was—Carlisle … what I'd become when he chose to save me?"

After a short pause, she said finally, "No, I didn't. I think I was delusional in the late stages. I thought that Doctor Cullen was an angel, or something similar. I'm sure you can understand why that occurred to me—you are all incredibly beautiful, after all."

I smiled, but I knew it would look bleak.

"I didn't know what he was," my mother continued, "but I knew that he wasn't … normal. I knew that there was something very different about him, but I also knew that he was a very good man. I wanted that for you … for you to be healthy, and to have the opportunity to grow into a good, compassionate individual like him. I sensed that it was in his power to give you that, and so I made my plea."

My stomach clenched. She had thought that Carlisle's actions would allow me the chance to grow into a good man? I'd actually transformed into a murderer.

"I've done … bad things," I whispered. My breathing was becoming erratic. If I had been human, tears would have been spilling down my face, not because of the guilt I felt over my past, but because I couldn't bear the idea that I had let my mother down … and the enduring disappointment and distress my decisions would provoke.

I waited for the surge of anger and pain, certain beyond anything that it was inevitable … but it never came. All I felt was love, giant and unconditional, reaching to me from some far off place. I felt like I had temporarily borrowed Jasper's power.

"You lost your way, my Dear," my mother smiled, coming to a stop and looking directly into my eyes. "Not even that. You did what came natural to you. You accepted your nature and followed it."

This was it. The disappointment was coming. I braced myself for it, my eyes falling to the ground in shame.

"I am so incredibly proud of you."

My head snapped up at inhuman speed as I gawked openly at the woman in front of me. How could she say that? Didn't she know? Didn't she know that every time I was with a human, thoughts of bloody murder permeated my mind?

"Edward," she said seriously, "you are a vampire. Every instinct you have tells you to kill those who should serve in sustaining you. But you don't. You battle your impulses every single day in your efforts to be a good person … a good man. My Darling, that is what defines who you are today. What more could a mother hope for?"

I immediately threw my arms around her and buried my face in her hair. She laughed and placed her arms around my neck, stroking the back of my head. I couldn't believe that this was happening. After over eighty years of being without her, I finally had her back. She was there and she loved me … and it felt absolutely wonderful.

When she finally pulled back, her face held a radiant smile and her eyes sparkled.

"So, tell me about this girl of yours," she said happily, sliding her arm back through mine as we began our walk again.

"Bella," I breathed, pronouncing her name as if it were a caress, "is the most beautiful girl in the history of the universe. She's completely selfless, unbelievably brave, intelligent, and more loving than you can possibly imagine."

"She sounds wonderful."

"She is!" I smiled, launching into the tale of how we had come together. It occurred to me that she already knew everything already, but I wanted her to hear it from me in any case. I told her of how Bella's blood had sang to me, and how I had battled desperately in my efforts to keep her alive. I told her of how she had seen past all my faults, refusing to be deterred by the fact that we didn't belong to the same species. I told her of James, and how she had almost brought about her own death in her determination to save her mother. Then I informed her of how I had deserted Bella in my attempt to preserve her soul. She listened until my story reached the present, never interrupting once.

"She's beautiful inside and out. She makes me feel … complete … like I've finally found the last piece of the jigsaw. I may have had to wait a hundred years for her, but that seems a small price in comparison to what I'm getting in return."

"Ah yes," said my mother, "you are going to make her like you."

I felt my grin disappear as my mother searched my face.

"I shouldn't," I whispered, "not after what I've learnt. I shouldn't be so selfish, but I already know that I wouldn't be able to bear living without her. And if … if I refuse her now, Carlisle will change her inste—"

"Edward," she said, cutting me off, "from what you've told me, Bella is a smart girl. I think that it's time that you began to trust in her ability to decide her own future wisely. She's a witch. She understands more than you think."

"What do you mean?"

"That is for her to say," she smiled.

The trees were thinning now: the edge of the Forest was nearing. My mother stopped in her tracks, her arm uncurling from mine.

"I have to let you go, don't I?" I said, a terrible pain overwhelming me at the mere thought of it.

"I can't leave unless you allow me to, but we both know that I don't belong here."

"I don't want to say goodbye," I uttered. "I can't bare the idea of never seeing you again."

"I don't want to say goodbye either," she replied kindly, "but I don't think it's a case of that. Everyone dies, Edward." She lifted her hand to stroke my face again, her eyes serious as she looked at me. "Not even Vampires can stay on one side of the Veil forever. One day you'll pass under it too. Hopefully, you'll be hand in hand with your Love when you do. But it will happen—make no mistake—and when it does, I'll be there to welcome you."

I tried to smile but failed.

"If I thought I had a soul to ensure that that were possible, I'd believe you."

"Well, then, it is a good thing you have found Bella. Perhaps you will learn something."

In the next second, she had opened her arms again for me, and I was in them, hugging her tightly, communicating as clearly as I could every ounce of love I felt for the woman who had raised me.

"I love you, Mom" I vowed.

"And I love you, my Edward," she replied, the smile in her voice as plain as day. "Nothing will ever, ever change that. I don't regret asking Doctor Cullen to change you. I could never have had you miss out on a wonder like Bella. My only regret is that I haven't been able to meet her … and that I won't be there when you're married."

"I wish you could be."

She reached up on her tip-toes to kiss me on the forehead.

"You'll be wonderful. I can just imagine it."

She pulled out of my arms and I reluctantly let her go.

"Take care of my future daughter-in-law," she laughed.

"I will," I promised. "I gave her your ring."

Her face broke into a dazzling smile; she looked ecstatic.

"That's perfect! Did she like it?"

"She loved it," I said. "Bella likes old-fashioned things, which is good. We're the same in that respect."

"Well, I wish you both all the best, and all my love."

"Thank you, Mom … Goodbye."

"For now," she nodded.

Then, before I could change my, I dropped the Resurrection Stone from my hand, and released her from the World of the Living. Immediately, the pain of losing her yet again clenched around my heart like a vice. I wanted nothing more than to pick the Stone up and call her back, but I knew that that was unacceptable. She was where she belonged—in Heaven—the exact place she deserved to be.

In one swift movement, I brought my foot up, and sent it crashing down upon the tiny, black object, the force of the blow causing an almighty bang to thunder through the air. When I stepped back from the dent I had just created, I saw that the Resurrection Stone had been transformed into a sparkling black powder, which swirled into the air as a breeze swept the forest floor.

I took a deep, steadying breath as I replayed everything that had happened in the last fifteen minutes. It seemed so unfair that I had had to let her go after my time with her had been so short, but, if I was being honest, never would I have believed that I would be allowed such a gift in the first place.

I had seen and spoken with my mother, Elizabeth Masen, for the first time in eighty years, and in doing so I had learnt that her soul was safe, even if it was separated from me. I needed to be more like Harry—to be less greedy. My Mom wanted me to be a good person: being grateful for what I had been given, instead of wishing for more, was the best place to start.

I launched myself out of the Forest and back towards the castle, where I knew that Bella would be waiting for me.

She was sat with the others when I entered the Great Hall. The dirt and blood no longer smeared her skin or matted her hair, and although she was wearing the same jeans and t-shirt as she had during the battle, they were completely spotless. Even the cuts and bruises which she had gained during the night had vanished.

"Where were you?" she asked concernedly as I approached.

"I went for a walk," I answered, preferring not to disclose the truth in front of my family. I wasn't sure why, but I felt extremely uncomfortable about the idea of revealing something so private. I would tell Bella, of course, but not until I was positive we were alone.

I searched for Jasper's mind, and saw that my words and provoked a rush of worry in Bella. She probably assumed that I had fallen back into my usual depression, after the initial joy of victory had diminished.

In truth, I was too confused at the moment to even know for myself exactly what I was feeling. There were far too many emotions to be able to sort my mood into one category: I was overjoyed that I had seen my mother again, distraught that I had had to let her go, relieved that Bella had survived the battle, guilty because I was still considering turning her into a Vampire, along with a hundred other things that were entirely too complicated to explain.

"Bella, would you mind if we—"

"Edward," she said urgently, her expression serious as she looked at me, "I have a feeling I know what's been going through your head in the last couple of hours, and before you voice your thoughts on that subject, would you mind if I show you something?"

Her words confused me. I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about. I agreed, regardless, allowing her to lace her fingers through mine.

"You should all come, too," she said, addressing my family. "This concerns you as well."

Despite her cryptic statement, my family rose from there seats and followed as she led us from the Great Hall.

"Do you know where Professor McGonagall is, Edward?" she questioned.

"She's on the fifth floor corridor with Flitwick. They're repairing the castle."

She nodded as we began our climb up the Grand Staircase, stopping on the floor I had indicated and walking through the door into the long corridor where, towards the end of it, stood the two Professors.

Their wands rested at their sides, whilst they gazed around in satisfaction as the rubble and glass that had been blasted onto the floor floated upwards to reform the walls and windows.

"Right, Minerva, that's this one done. Onto the fourth floor?" asked the tiny Professor Flitwick.

"Yes, Filius. The sooner we finish the better."

They turned and began walking in our direction. Flitwick smiled upon seeing us, but Professor McGonagall's face remained stern. She looked exhausted, and in the aftermath of the battle, when she too was left with a mountain of grief, it was far too early for her to attempt smiles and false happiness.

"Professor McGonagall."

"Yes, Miss Swan?"

"I'm in urgent need of a Pensieve, but unfortunately I don't own one. Is there one belonging to the school that I would be able to use?"

"There is one in the Headmaster's office," she stated. _Bella is trustworthy. She's proven herself beyond measure. So have her friends, too, according to Harry. _"The password is Longbottom. It has only just been changed. Potter was a little obvious."

"Yes," Bella agreed, "but the first was still a good choice. Thank you, Professor."

Bella turned to walk away, only to be stopped as she took the first step.

"Miss Swan?"

"Professor?" she said, spinning to face the tired looking woman.

McGonagall stared into her face, her complete attention focused on the girl beside me. Then, with a speed that I wouldn't have expected from a woman of her age, the Professor flew to Bella and pulled her into an embrace, her eyes welling with tears as she did so. Bella wrapped her arms around the teacher's back, returning the sensitive gesture.

"Never," she whispered, "has a Professor of this school been as proud I am to be the Head of Gryffindor House."

I felt a swell of affection for Minerva McGonagall. Despite her stern image, she cared for her students deeply, as a teacher should.

Bella remained speechless, and simply hugged the Professor tighter, before both pulled back to look at one another. The Professor's gaze then flitted to my family and I.

Like the others, she demonstrated no concern or fear at the fact that she stood in the presence of seven deadly Vampires; nor did Flitwick.

"Thank you. All of you. We will not forget," she said simply, her eyes full of sincerity. Perhaps it was the briefness of her words—the fact that she was to the point in her portrayal of gratitude, and did not embellish with lengthy praises—that made her thanks all the more meaningful.

"You're welcome," I answered on behalf of myself and my family, as McGonagall's eyes settled on me. "From the moment we walked through the door, your students treated us no differently than they do each other. Not one of them judged us based on what we are."

"Nor should they," said Flitwick. "If Voldemort has taught us one thing, it is that it is better to judge based on merit, rather than species."

"Thank you," said Carlisle. "You have no idea what that means to us."

Professor Flitwick smiled respectfully as we all turned and made our way back out onto the Grand Staircase.

We walked up the levels until we reached the seventh floor. As we turned into the corridor, which now looked exactly as it had prior to the battle, Emmett addressed Bella, posing a question which had been on his mind all morning.

"I don't understand. Your people obviously knew about the existence of Vampires. If Voldemort's ambition was to achieve immortality, why didn't he just seek to become like us?"

"He would have considered that course of action as something beneath him. Why would Voldemort have taken a route that hundreds of people have walked down before? It would have granted him immortality, but only until he got on the wrong side of another Vampire. Besides, to people like him, anything that falls outside the classification of a Pureblood Witch or Wizard is inferior. To _them_, Emmett, you are a half-breed. They'd consider you just as much an animal as they do me."

His eyebrows shot up, but then a smile spread across his face.

"To be honest, Bella, I'd rather be part of the zoo-crew. At least we didn't get our asses whooped."

Bella laughed in response, smiling at Emmett as we reached the stone gargoyle blocking the entrance to the office.

"Password?" it asked.

"Longbottom!" Alice shouted giddily, excited by the mystery of the castle.

The gargoyle stepped aside, allowing us to step onto the circular staircase, which began to wind upwards like some kind of stone escalator.

"I love this place," Emmett uttered as his eyes caught the portraits lining the walls. The people had fallen quiet upon our arrival, some of them intrigued by our appearance, others wary.

"Bum-ba-ba-di-dum tweak-tweak, bum-bum-di-do," sang Dumbledore, breaking the silence.

Emmett chuckled, evidently amused.

"Catchy tune," he smirked.

"I'm glad you think so, my boy," replied the old Headmaster. "Now that the world is safe again, I finally have time to practice my singing technique. A very amusing pass-time, I think you'll find."

Emmett smiled widely, but was distracted in the following seconds as Bella retrieved the Pensieve from its place in the opened cabinet, carrying it across the room and placing it on the desk. Next, she lifted her wand to her head, her eyes finding mine as she drew the tip away, pulling with it a shining silvery strand, which she cast into the liquid.

"What was that?" asked Jasper, his eyes fixed to the surface.

"A memory," answered Bella, her eyes on me still. "One which you all need to see. Edward?"

I stepped forwards slowly, my vision never leaving her face.

"Why don't you go first?"

I nodded, immediately lowering my face into the water, unafraid as the Pensieve pulled me in and I began falling into Bella's memory.

The first thing I saw as my feet hit the ground was Bella sprawled out behind me … behind her memory of me. This was weird. The others appeared at my side, one after another, in the next moments, and we all watched astounded as Bella singlehandedly dealt with a Giant, blasting a burst of fire at his hand.

"I don't understand," said Carlisle, his eyes fixed to the back of my head. "Why didn't you help her, Edward? What were you—"

"Bella," the memory-me whispered, effectively cutting my father off, "I feel cold." I knew what was coming next, and I dreaded it.

Sure enough, in the issuing seconds, a terrifying, cloaked creature crashed through hole in the wall and directly into me, forcing me backward until my body was pressed against the hard stone. It immediately began feeding, whilst I desperately kicked and thrashed against it, unable to free myself as the despair took hold.

"Edward?" Esme panicked. "Edward! What's happening?"

"It's alright," Bella assured her. "Remember, this is just a memory. They can't hurt us now."

She and the others fell into silence, though their expressions never lost the fear and revulsion that had been there since the Dementor had first made its appearance.

_This is unbearable,_ thought Esme as two more flew into the corridor.

_What _are _those things?_ Rosalie wondered, overwhelmed by disgust.

_Why can't Edward fight them off? _Emmett panicked mentally, horrified by the idea that there was something in the world with the ability to overpower Vampires. _What are they doing to him? He looks like he's in pain._

He had no idea. The mere memory of that experience was almost too much.

Suddenly, a man in Death Eater robes ran past our group towards Bella, who had just pulled herself to her feet and was aiming her wand at the Dementors. Before she had chance to conjure her Patronus, however, the enemy cracked a fist into the side of her head.

A feral snarl erupted up my throat in my fury, and before I could stop myself, I had thrown myself at the Death Eater, my teeth bared in preparation. Of course, they never even made contact, because I flew straight through him as if he were nothing more than a hologram.

"Would you just wait a moment, Edward?" Bella said calmly, unconcerned as the man aimed a punch to memory-Bella's gut.

I returned to her side in a flash, my teeth clenched together as I seethed in anger.

Suddenly, the man grasped Bella's outstretching arms and roughly yanked them behind her back, holding her in place as he whispered in her ear.

"I'm going to make you watch, and then I'm going to kill you."

I heard her whimpering cries, which were echoed by mine as I stopped resisting the Demons and began drowning with the complete loss of hope. The sight was terrible: my face looked tortured, and the sounds spewing from my mouth reflected the intensity of the torment the Dementors were inflicting upon me.

Then, as the middle creature reached up and began pulling back its hood to reveal its horrifying face (if it could really be called that), Bella screamed out my name in terror and desperation, thrusting her foot backwards as she aimed her boot directly between the man's legs. He buckled the second her foot connected, falling to the floor and moaning in agony, whilst Bella dived forwards and grabbed her wand, before screaming out a Spell and sending the Death Eater flying through the giant hole.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" she screamed, the silvery lion shooting from her wand and crashing against the Dementors, which went flying down the corridor as they attempted to flea the projection of positivity.

My eyes flashed to my slumped body as a burning light caught my eyes. At first I thought that a piece of the Patronus had broken away from the whole after it had collided with the demonic creatures. Then my eyes caught my face, which looked on vacantly into nothing, my mouth hanging open moronically, above which floated the brilliant tiny orb of blinding white light.

Suddenly, as the first flicker of understanding sparked within me, the bottom of my stomach seemed to disappear, and I lost all ability to move.

Impossible.

If I had been human, my heart would suddenly have been breaking into a sprint. If I had been human, my heart would have been beating so fast that I would have been in danger of a coronary!

Completely, totally, utterly impossible!

_Is … that …_

_Unbelievable! Impossible!_

_So beautiful …_

_…_

_His soul._

I hadn't dared to hope until I heard the word filling Carlisle's mind; the second I did, however, the one tiny fibre of belief seemed to ignite and explode through my body with the force of a bomb.

The orb descended towards my hanging mouth, disappearing from view in the next instant. The second it was no longer visible, my eyes regained their life and I drew a deep, sudden breath.

"Bella," I said worriedly, alerted by the scent of fresh blood, "you're bleeding!"

And the next thing I knew, the eight of us were rising upwards out of the Pensieve, arriving back in the office which we had never really left.

I stared at the swirling water as Bella retrieved the memory, knowing that if I were to look at my face through another's eyes, it would be blank with shock. Like me, the others were speechless, though their minds remained quite the opposite: loud in their desire for answers.

"A Patronus," explained Bella, as she returned the Pensieve to its rightful place, "is the manifestation of every positive emotion that a person has. The reason mine is a lion, as I've already told you, is partly due to the fact that I associate that image with you, Edward. You feed every good feeling I have. If you were to disappear from my life I'd be a sitting duck in the event of a Dementor attack. The way a Patronus works is by replacing the victim's actual emotions with itself, thereby blocking the person from despair as the Dementor feeds, but you have to be able to fill your thoughts with something incredibly happy for it to work."

Bella closed the cabinet and spun to face us, her face thoughtful as she regarded me.

"Dementors are Demons of Despair. They nourish themselves by sucking the happiness from an individual, leaving their victim void of hope and good feelings. The absence of positive emotion can force the person to relive the worst moments of their life, and although they'll target anyone near to them at the time, they're usually attracted to those more vulnerable to their influence: people with miserable and painful memories. If given the chance, a Dementor will feed off you until you become something similar."

She paused, seeming to take a deep breath as she slowly crossed the room to stand in front of me.

"Their most terrifying weapon … is called the Dementor's Kiss. To undergo it is a fate worse than death. In the Muggle world, people who've been subjected to it are said to suffer from PVS."

_Permanent vegetative state, _thought Carlisle.

"When a Dementor performs the Kiss, it lifts back its hood … and sucks out your soul."

That was it—the moment the belief completely crashed over me. It was out. She'd said it, and I could feel my throat tightening as the emotion surged through each sinew of tissue. I clenched my jaw to keep myself from gasping loudly.

"So, you see, I know you have one, Edward," she said seriously, her eyes never leaving mine as her palm pressed against my chest. "I know it's there, because I've _seen_ it with my own two eyes … and now you have too."

I couldn't find words great enough in the next seconds that could adequately portray the way I suddenly felt. I felt that if a Dementor was to fly at me then, I'd be radiating enough hope, belief, love and outright joy that they wouldn't be able to break through to the deeper, darker places. They'd have to spend an eternity chiselling away at the solid wall of unending happiness that surrounded me like a force field. In that moment, I was a blazing beacon of every positive emotion because, despite everything, I had seen the ocular proof, as had my family: I had a soul. I had a soul!

I threw myself at Bella in the next moment, the force of my happiness projecting into my muscles, and sending us flying to the floor. I landed on top of her, forgetting completely that we were surrounded by the watching eyes of my family, and kissed her like we were the only two people left in the world. She kissed me back, and I totally and utterly lost myself in it.

It was only when the sound of a giant applause erupted through the room that I realised what I was doing: I kissing the love of my life … my _soul_mate … in a very compromising position … on the floor … in front of everyone.

My head snapped back to look over my shoulder. I had expected to see my family looking down at me, their eyebrows raised in amusement; luckily, however, they were a little preoccupied, all of them searching for the souls of their partner as they gazed into each other's eyes

I stood up, pulling Bella back to her feet as I did so. She giggled uncontrollably whilst the people in the paintings cheered and wolf-whistled, some waving their wigs above their heads, whilst others simply contented themselves with clapping. Above the noise, I heard one man, whose plate named him as Phineas Nigellus, grumble that Bella had I were guilty of defiling the office floor. Fortunately, I was too happy to care.

"That was … interesting," Bella smirked, though a little flustered.

"I'm sorry I attacked you," I answered, unable to keep the smile from my face.

"I'm not," she smiled.

I went to kiss her again, but a cough from the grumpiest portrait stopped me.

"Explain something to me," I said instead.

"Yes?"

"Why is it that my venom was able to destroy Voldemort's soul, yet mine is still there, even though the same substance passed through every cell of my body all those years ago?"

"Honestly, I don't know enough about Horcruxes to be able to answer that for you."

"I, other hand," called Dumbledore, who was sat twiddling his thumbs, a wide smile etched along his face, "do."

We all turned to him, then, eager to have the mystery solved.

"When a human being dies, or their body is injured in some way, their soul is left undamaged—safe in its entirety. The piece of soul within a Horcrux, however, relies completely on the object protecting it. Destroy the object, and you effectively destroy the fragment of soul. So, although Vampire Venom does not destroy an intact soul residing inside a human body, the fact that it is an extremely dangerous substance without cure means that the Horcrux cannot possibly repair itself. That, my boy, is the reason why your soul remained safe, whereas Voldemort's was destroyed. Understand?"

"Yes, I think so," I nodded.

"What about splitting souls?" asked Jasper. "I've killed …"

My heart sank. I'd murdered countless people, too. How many times had I maimed my soul?

"Ah, yes, that is a nasty subject. Edward," said Dumbledore, surprising me with the use of my name, "when you saw your soul in the Pensieve, did it appear broken into two or more pieces?"

"There was only one orb," I answered confusedly.

"Well, then, your soul is whole."

"I don't understand," I admitted. "I thought that killing split souls."

"It does," said Dumbledore, his face thoughtful. "Killing is unnatural, and therefore forces the soul to split … However, I am fairly certain that if Miss Swan were to go and hunt down a nice plump turkey, her soul would remain intact even after she'd killed it."

"So, you're saying that Edward's soul is safe," Carlisle clarified, "because hunting humans for a Vampire is the equivalent of a human killing a turkey?"

"Absolutely," said Dumbledore. "Do you think a lion would be sent to Hell because it chose to eat a gazelle for breakfast? Of course not! Humans are a Vampire's natural food source. It is nothing more than nature in action.

"Please don't misunderstand me," he went on, "I am not inferring that you are silly in your decision to abstain from drinking human blood; on the contrary, I am very happy that you do so. But I do not believe that a more normal preference would lead you into trouble on the other side of the Veil; however, I _do_ think it is entirely possible that your chosen lifestyle will benefit you when you do eventually leave this world."

"So, then, if killing is natural to Vampires, all our souls will still be whole?" asked Rosalie.

"I can't be certain, of course," said Dumbledore, his eyes on Rosalie, "—this is just theory—but I would guess that any possible damage that you could do to your souls would occur if you were to kill one of your own kind. _That_, I think, would be potentially dangerous for you."

"Then my soul must be in tatters," whispered Jasper, his eyes falling to the floor. "I fought in the Vampire wars. I've killed hundreds of my own kind."

"Do you regret it?"

"Everyday!" admitted my brother, his tortured eyes flying up to meet the white-bearded man. "I'm an Empath. Every time I killed someone, I felt their fear, and when you have a memory like mine, it's not something you can ever forget."

"My dear boy," Dumbledore exclaimed, "that is wonderful news! Your soul may very well be whole, after all!"

"I beg your pardon?"

"An Empath, you say? Marvellous! That is better than I could have hoped for."

"What do you mean?" asked Alice, evidently confused like the rest of us at the old Headmaster's sudden delight.

"Regret and guilt," explained Dumbledore, "are the only things that can repair a broken soul. Your abilities, young man, which have caused you to experience such emotions, perhaps, make it far more likely that you, beyond any other individual on this Earth, have the power to mend a fractured soul. It may very well be that it is once again completely, one hundred percent whole. If not, then you have infinite time to work on it!"

Jasper's eyes grew wide for a second, before his expression transformed to one of extreme gratitude.

"Is that why Harry told Voldemort to try for some regret?" I asked.

"It is," replied Dumbledore with a smile.

"And … what about the Vampires I don't regret killing?" asked Jasper suddenly, desperate for any information the old man could give him. "Emmett and I destroyed a Vampire after he tried to kill Bella. There was no way he would have stopped if we hadn't."

"So you killed him out of love for your friend?"

"Well, at that time," admitted Emmett, "it was more for Edward. We didn't know Bella that well, but we'd seen how happy she made our brother."

"Love for your brother then?"

Jasper and Emmett nodded whilst Dumbledore looked on thoughtfully.

"Make no mistake, love is by far the most potent thing in the universe. It is capable of magic deeper and more powerful than you can imagine. It was love, for example, which saved Harry from the Killing Curse twice. Love was the reason why he was able to return from Death, which, of course, was previously unheard of.

"Love is far too powerful for any one person to claim to understand. I do not know myself how it would affect you in such a circumstance as the one you have mentioned. All I can tell you is that I have a hunch you are safe, for it is by far the best armour a person can wear, undoubtedly more effective than the hardest physical element. Even Vampire skin is no match for it. If Harry's experience has taught me one thing, it is that."

We thanked him then, and he smiled at us widely, before returning to his merry singing practice, bobbing his head along to his peculiar song.

"Tweak-tweak, la-da-di-dum, biggle-wiggle, tweak-tweak."

We all walked back out of the office and made our way down the stairs.

_I'll be sad to leave this place,_ thought Alice, who like the rest of us, was quickly growing attached, even though the time we had spent here hadn't yet stretched into twenty four hours.

_So we do have souls, _thought Carlisle_. There's hope for us, after all!_

Yes, there was hope. It seemed strange that it could flower so suddenly after such a horrific experience. By all rights, it should have been completely absent. Yet it wasn't, and I didn't think it ever would be again … thanks to Bella.

I wound an arm around her shoulders, whilst she wrapped one of hers about my waist as we headed back down the seventh floor corridor towards the Grand Staircase.

"So, Edward," said Emmett, his face breaking into a smug grin, "how does it feel finding out that you're always completely wrong about everything?"

My eyes narrowed as they shot to my brother, but I couldn't prevent my mouth from breaking suddenly into a massive, joyful smile. I turned my head to Bella, and listened with satisfaction as her heartbeat accelerated.

"Honestly, Emmett," I laughed, no longer worried for myself or for Bella, "it's the best feeling in the world."

**I hope you liked it! Please let me know what you thought of this chapter and the story overall. Every comment is welcomed, even constructive criticism. And just so you know, I'm thinking about writing a sequel. I hate it when stories drag on too long, and I felt that this was a good place to finish the story; but I'm still not sure that I want to deny myself the fun of writing about what could happen next. I can just imagine the possibilities! So please let me know if you'd be interested in that if you decide to review, and if so, I'll start on my next piece and post the link to the end of this story.**

**Thanks for reading every one. You've made my first FanFic a really enjoyable one to write!**


	12. Author's Note

**Hi everyone. Thanks for all your amazing reviews. They really made me smile!**

**Just so you know … I have officially started on a sequel to **_**The Secret Keeper**_**. It will probably end up being longer than the prequel, but this is just to show what I think it would be like for the Cullens after the battle. I hope you like it. If so … please review!**

**You can find the link on my profile. Or you can paste this to the end of the fanfiction address. I'm not sure why, but it won't let me paste the full thing:**

**.net/s/5348767/1/**

**Anyway, happy reading!**

**Giggle. xxx**


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